NDNAtraining development manager Lynette Lee, who will manage the review, said, 'The review will involve a major consultation process across the UK.
The time couldn't be better for it - we are on the edge of a new era and we are seeing new types of roles emerging in the childcare workforce. Having appropriate occupational standards in place is an important part of raising the profile of the profession.'
The national occupational standards set out the common requirements for all early years qualifications that are accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, including the NVQs Level 2 and 3 in early years care and education. The review of the standards will inform the future development of existing and new qualifications.
Ms Lee said, 'Childcare is no longer about sitting in a room with a baby on your knee. We are expecting certain levels of communication with parents, colleagues and other professional bodies in the sector, and the standards need to reflect that. There are things that practitioners are being asked to do that aren't reflected in the standards at the moment.'
The revised standards will support a more integrated approach to early years education and care to reflect new roles that have developed in the early years workforce with the introduction of initiatives such as Neighbourhood Nurseries, children's centres and Sure Start. They will also be appropriate for practitioners moving between a variety of settings and working with children of different ages, for example, in a nursery, school and after-school club.
The NDNA will work closely with SPRITO, the training organisation for playwork, to establish areas of common ground in the occupational standards between childcare and playwork.
The NDNA is currently negotiating the details of its contract to carry out the review, and anticipates that the process will take 18 months once consultants have been appointed. The review will involve publishing proposal papers and organising events to give interested parties opportunities to offer feedback.
The NVQs Levels 2 and 3 in early years care and education were due to be re-accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority by 31 January, but this deadline has been extended to 31 January 2005 to enable the review to take place. The Early Years National Training Organisation (NTO), disbanded in April 2002, was given funding to start the process but was closed down along with all other NTOs before it had the time to make much headway.
The NTOs have been replaced by a smaller number of Sector Skills Councils (SSC). However, early years education and childcare does not have its own SSC at present, so there is no organisation in place to undertake work such as a review of national occupational standards.
A consultation process to explore the prospect of creating an SSC to cover all those working with children and young people is in its early stages.
