There's no substitute for experience - particularly in the childcare sector. Each setting has its own ethos and, of course, all children have different needs. In line with this, the Early Years Apprentice (EYA)system emphasises the work-based aspect of training childcare workers, with students in college for one day a week to learn the theory, and the rest of the time applying that theory in a childcare setting.
However, this assumes the setting can afford to pay for the student. In semi-rural areas, for example, settings are smaller and often miles from each other, so the cost of giving students suitable experience can be prohibitive.
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