The Scottish Executive has put up for consultation its ambitious plans for Scotland's early years workforce, with new management qualifications, higher numbers of graduate-level staff and a single qualifications framework all on the agenda (see News, page 4). As in England, the hope is to raise the quality of early years provision by improving the status, recognition and professional development of the workforce across the sector. But while Scotland may be able to avert the confusion over its planned new qualifications that has arisen in England over pathways to becoming an early years professional, there are already signs that the amount of funding available to train and pay these better-qualified practitioners will be a major concern for providers both north and south of the border.
The Scottish Executive has put up for consultation its ambitious plans for Scotland's early years workforce, with new management qualifications, higher numbers of graduate-level staff and a single qualifications framework all on the agenda (see News, page 4).
As in England, the hope is to raise the quality of early years provision by improving the status, recognition and professional development of the workforce across the sector. But while Scotland may be able to avert the confusion over its planned new qualifications that has arisen in England over pathways to becoming an early years professional, there are already signs that the amount of funding available to train and pay these better-qualified practitioners will be a major concern for providers both north and south of the border.
Recent reports have shown that nurseries are already struggling to make a profit, and this week we also look at how Kent nurseries have formed a pressure group and launched a website to step up their campaign to force Government to resolve the ongoing problem of shortfalls in education grant allocations (see News, page 4). We hope you will give them your support and tell us of your experiences so that we can continue to highlight to Government the extent of the problem.
