Students become expert practitioners in the area of educare from nought to eight years old. Some of our students have gone on to work as mentors with older children, or to support children with special educational needs in schools - as well as going on to further postgraduate study and teaching.
But what of the students who don't wish to delve into further study and want to work with children after completing their degree? These students are not nursery nurses - but have studied at a higher level.
There appears to be a huge gap between the level of qualification and salary of nursery nurses and that of a teacher. NVQ 4 is a step towards bridging this gap but students with a BA in Early Childhood Studies are at a higher level than this. They have nowhere to go in terms of job description/structure or salary level if they do not undertake further study. This is a waste of trained early years practitioners at a time when there are not enough staff to fulfil Government proposals for childcare and education.
Why is this degree not recognised? Several issues here need to be addressed - in the 'grand plan' of early childhood qualifications and provision, where does the BA in Early Childhood Studies fit?
The BA needs to be recognised in its own right as a qualification above Level 3 and 4. This degree promotes and develops a whole workforce of specialists in educare, but how can these specialists be appropriately integrated into the early childhood field?
There is a general lack of understanding across all fields of practice as to what an Early Childhood Studies degree consists of.
These key points need to be addressed to give coherence and progression to the qualifications framework for all practitioners in the educare field.
