When it comes to comparing early years management skills with those of other countries such as Finland and Denmark, the UK seems lacking in certain areas. Research carried out by Liverpool Hope University College has identified a gap in management training at degree level - a worrying flaw, given the new emphasis being placed on graduate leadership in the UK.
This recognition has led to an exciting development for the university. In September a group of international students will arrive to embark on a one-year pilot aimed at introducing a degree level childcare certificate that is recognised throughout Europe.
The European Early Years Management Certificate is aimed at experienced and qualified early years managers who already hold a relevant BA/BSc degree or a vocational qualification at level 4, and is designed to enhance business and management practice.
Devised and introduced by the European Enhancement of Early Years Management Skills (EEEYMS), the project is mainly funded by the European Union Leonardo Da Vinci programme and promoted and co-ordinated by Liverpool Hope. Essentially it is a partnership involving childcare associations, trade unions and educational establishments across Europe, which has been running since 2003. These include the National Day Nurseries Association and Professional Association of Nursery Nurses in the UK, the public sector trade union KTV in Finland, Avans University in the Netherlands, and two Bulgarian partners, Virtech and the Bulgarian Telework Association.
Petra Luck, who is based at Liverpool Hope as nursery manager award director and is co-ordinating the certificate on behalf of EEEYMS, says, 'The background to this project stems from an Organisation for Economic and Co-operative Development report published in 2001 that identified serious gaps in the education and training of early years managers. This was reflected by international research carried out at Liverpool Hope.'
Ms Luck adds that with the introduction of the UK's Ten-Year Childcare Strategy, it became increasingly evident that the childcare sector was badly in need of business and management skills. 'There has been an extensive expansion of provision, but concerns have been raised about the sustainability of this provision,' she says.
Liverpool Hope was an obvious choice as co-ordinator for EEEYMS as it already has strong links across Europe, thanks to a number of staff exchange initiatives. The university also recently introduced an on-line, or e-learning, version of its foundation degree Management of Childcare Provision and BA Nursery Management. The European Early Years Management Certificate also adopts an e-learning approach by making use of distance learning materials.
Students taking part will begin by attending a five-day residential course at Liverpool Hope in September. This induction will give them guidance with study skills and training using the Virtual Learning Environment. After that, they return to their own countries and complete four modules on-line during 2005 and 2006.
The modules cover a variety of topics, including Human Resource Management, Marketing Fundamentals and Understanding and Managing Finance, plus optional modules covering the Management of Children's Health, Managing Learning or Valuing Equal Opportunities.
Ms Luck says, 'What we have done is develop a range of modules that can be attached to the degree level courses each country is already running. The certificate will be available as a part- time qualification and will be worth 60 credits (UK) or 30 (European Credit Transfer points) at degree level. Once students have completed the certificate they will have a qualification that is recognised throughout Europe as an addition to their existing degree.'
One student who has already enrolled is Tuula Tolonen, who manages a state-funded kindergarten in Vantaa, Finland. She heard about the pilot through the Leonardo programme and Finnish trade union KTV. She has worked at her 100-place kindergarten for 17 years.
'When I studied to become a kindergarten teacher I wasn't taught anything about management or leader- ship,' she says. 'This is why I am interested in the certificate. I think it is important to learn about management so that I can develop my unit in conjunction with my staff. People are the basis of any organisation and I believe the role of a manager is to help them be involved in development.
'I'm sure the course will give me many new ideas and enhance my knowledge, because the modules cover very relevant topics. I also see it as a huge opportunity to learn more about management and daycare practices across different European cultures.'
EEEYMS also intends to create a European Network Association for Childcare to support the co-ordination of this project and to ensure its continuance after the pilot is completed. Currently there is no Europe-wide association for childcare education and development activities. Both the OECD and EEEYMS recognise that addressing this is an important issue, so they have established the EuroChild Network to enable networking and transfer of skills throughout Europe.
'EuroChild members can use the EEEYMS website members' area to network and disseminate their own activities and they will also receive invitations to all EEEYMS events and conferences,' says Ms Luck. 'We hope to establish a framework that will allow the initiatives we are currently setting up to continue after the EEEYMS project ends in 2006.'
Further information
* Petra Luck luckp@hope.ac.uk
* www.hope.ac.uk
TEECHE
While EEEYMS concentrates on an academic pan-European childcare certificate, efforts are also underway to develop a European vocational qualification that will offer foundation, intermediate and advanced-level training to a broad spectrum of childcare workers.
Training for Early Years Education and Childcare in Europe (TEECHE) was launched in September 2002 by Hove-based nursery provider Early Years Childcare. The aim was to promote and develop the standard of childcare and the status of the industry across Europe. Like EEEYMS, it is co-funded by the EU's Leonardo programme.
TEECHE plans to introduce a European framework for childcare training, where students study three core elements: child development, professional development and the learning environment. The curriculum will focus on balancing theory and practical skills.
Ten sites in the UK, the Netherlands and Austria recently trialled the foundation level module in child development, which offers basic training in childcare and education for children from birth to seven. The pilot involved six practical workshops and home assignments supported by a specially developed interactive website to consolidate knowledge.
Early Years Childcare is now meeting with educational bodies to discuss accreditation and further course development of the TEECHE qualification.
Further information
* Beryl Carroll 01273 778775
* www.teeche.com
