Ahhh...what an interesting topic for discussion...one I am very passionate about...
Some interesting points to consider...
Denmark is considered the best practice in Europe for early years..in terms of quality of training, the pre-school care system in Denmark, which covers up to age seven, is as follows-
All staff are graduates and
properly trained(?!), and on average they earn only about 10 per cent. less than qualified teachers....surely this is it should be?
However pay and training in the UK are worst in respect of the ages of nought to three, five and eight!!
There is a national shortage of child minders, is the shortage associated with increasing demands on child minders to register, to attend courses and conferences and to obtain qualifications?
Is a shortage that is based on such causes more beneficial, even if it leads to fewer places for youngsters, than providing more places with less qualified child minders would be?
Should we be worried about the bureaucratisation of the profession?
Surely the Government needs to ensure that early years staff are sufficiently well trained, paid and motivated to encourage more high-quality people—men and women—to come into the sector?
And these
professionals should, like teachers, have access to professional development as of right....otherwise, how can the UK ensure that it can develop—and, more importantly, maintain—the diverse, innovative and effective early years sector that the UK so badly needs?
I will get off my :soapbox:...
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