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It is awarded to graduates who demonstrate that they have met the 39 national standards that set out the knowledge, understanding, skills and other attributes that an EYP working with children from birth to five years will need.
There are currently more than 8,300 trained and accredited EYPs and a further 1,800 candidates in training. The new EYPS programme rolls out in January 2012 until 2014, with 1,700 funded places, and it is to be delivered in all regions across England.
A report carried out by the Department for Education in July, Evaluation of the Graduate Leader Fund, found that settings which gained a graduate leader with EYPS made significant improvements in quality for children aged 30 months to five years, compared with settings which did not. The improvements related most strongly to direct work with children such as support for learning, communication and individual needs, reflecting the role of EYPs as 'leaders of practice'.
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