Nursery World - 'Teachers need relevant training'

More funding is needed to train the under-threes childcare workforce, a leading early years academic said last week. Professor Lesley Abbott, director of the Birth to Three Matters project, said, 'If the Government wants to employ a trained teacher in every children's centre, the Framework needs to be introduced during both initial and in-service teacher training. Unless this is a recommendation and a requirement, there is a danger that teachers employed in children's centres will not be equipped with the right knowledge and skills.'

Professor Lesley Abbott, director of the Birth to Three Matters project, said, 'If the Government wants to employ a trained teacher in every children's centre, the Framework needs to be introduced during both initial and in-service teacher training. Unless this is a recommendation and a requirement, there is a danger that teachers employed in children's centres will not be equipped with the right knowledge and skills.'

Referring to the Birth to Three Matters conference held at Manchester Metropolitan University last month, Professor Abbott said, 'Training, and the funding for it, was one of the key issues raised. Delegates said that a continuation of training was needed for those who had already completed the Framework, and that funding should be ring-fenced to ensure it is spent on those working with the under-threes.'

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