Interview - Dr Sara Bonetti, Education Policy Institute

THERE HAS BEEN RESEARCH ABOUT LOW PAY AND HIGH TURNOVER OF STAFF BEFORE. WHAT MEASURES DO YOU THINK WOULD REALLY HELP?

Low pay and high turnover are not new to the early years sector; they have been entrenched in the system for a long time. For this reason, we cannot start tackling these problems until we have a renewed commitment to the sector through a workforce strategy. While this might seem a theoretical exercise, the existence of a strategy is necessary to ensure the Government has a long-term vision for the sector, and that any new policy or funding stream fits within this strategy.

In the past, we have seen that policies that provide the right incentives both at individual and system level can be effective. This was the case for the Graduate Leader Fund, which in fact reached its intended goal of increasing qualification levels by helping providers to pay higher wages to graduates. Since the dismantling of this policy, what we have witnessed is a patchwork approach that has not given the sector a clear sense of direction.

THE SMC IS CALLING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CAREER STRATEGY FOR THE EARLY YEARS WORKFORCE. WHY IS THIS NEEDED AND HOW DO YOU ENVISAGE IT WOULD WORK IN PRACTICE?

Early years professionals with higher qualification levels often see a move to working in schools as the only way to access sufficient pay and better working conditions. We have also heard from employers who are afraid that if they invest in upskilling their workers, they might not be able to afford to pay them enough to entice them to remain in post. This creates a vicious cycle where incentives for workers to upskill, and for employers to support them, are not in line with what both sides want: to provide high-quality early education and care.

To avoid reinventing the wheel, the SMC convened a group of experts who agreed a career strategy that sets out a clear pathway from apprentice to primary head was needed, in line with recommendations in the Nutbrown Review in 2012.

The pathway would give a clear map of where upskilling can lead for early years workers, and what the benefits would look like. But it should avoid being too rigid. It is important to recognise good practice and expertise can come in many forms, as well as the importance of retaining expertise and knowledge in the classroom. A clear pathway would help early years to see the benefits of upskilling and changing roles.

EMPLOYERS REPORT THAT THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO FUND STAFF FOR FURTHER TRAINING AND CPD. HOW CAN WE CHANGE THIS WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH UNDERFUNDING IN THE SECTOR?

Government funding, of some kind, is likely necessary. Our own research identified that a big success in the past 15 years in this area was the Graduate Leader Fund. Between 2007 and 2011, when its funding was ring-fenced, the number of early years workers with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent increased by 76 per cent, from 16,500 workers to 29,100 workers. Progress has stalled since.

The fund was targeted directly at enabling early years providers to pay graduates at a higher level. A similar approach should be applied to CPD more widely. Given the financial instability of the sector, CPD funding should be ring-fenced. Beyond funding, however, much more work is needed to clarify what high-quality CPD is, what can qualify as CPD, and what the different needs for CPD are within a heterogeneous sector.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE IDEA BEHIND A WORKFORCE REGISTRY AND HOW IT WOULD HELP TO PROFESSIONALISE THE SECTOR?

Workforce registries are online data systems designed to track and promote the education, training and experience of early years workers. They aim to be a one-stop shop for professionals to find links to training, job listings, industry-related news and professional development planning tools.

Individual participants can build a profile of education, training and employment history. Practitioners can use the registry to identify their strengths and the areas where they need more professional development, and then to find and apply for approved training. Providers can use registries to document the qualifications of their staff, monitor staff training activity, and use listed knowledge and competencies as a checklist to fill gaps in their education through a tailored professional development plan. From a research and policy-making point of view, the registries make the sector much more transparent, giving policy-makers vital information on which to base policies.

A workforce registry is not a silver bullet; it must be linked to wider professional development networks and to long-term strategies of workforce development supported by appropriate funding.

THE INTERVIEWS IN THE REPORT REVEAL PEOPLE LEAVE THE SECTOR BECAUSE THEY DO NOT FEEL VALUED BY SOCIETY. YOUR REPORT SUGGESTS EARLY YEARS WORKERS COULD BECOME ‘FORGOTTEN KEY WORKERS’. HOW DO WE CHANGE THE WIDER PERCEPTION OF CHILDCARE?

One approach is to start early, with career advice to young people that reflects both the social value and the skills involved in working in the early years. Rather than presenting it as a career for low achievers, or as an alternative to hairdressing, it should be presented as a job that makes a difference and which requires a great deal of skills and knowledge.

However, improving pay and professionalism almost certainly requires government investment. This investment must reflect both of the core goals of the early years: to care for children and to provide them with education and learning that helps to reduce the gap in achievement between disadvantaged children and their peers.

Really improving wider perceptions of the early years must start with ensuring that the sector is funded in a way that allows all settings to invest in their staff and in turn provide high-quality early education and care, giving every child the best start in life.

MORE INFORMATION

• The report is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-stability-of-the-early-years-workforce-in-england