Prepare to meet the new reality of early childhood

'You never change things by fighting the existing reality.

To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.'

Buckminster Fuller

This quote from the American architect has so much to offer our thinking about what next for early childhood. Before the Coronavirus, the early years sector in England was facing numerous challenges. Despite ongoing Government investment, the financial viability of settings, recruitment, retention and qualification levels continued to be problematic. All of these have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

The early years is not alone in the issues it faces, they are reflected in other professional areas that occupy the early childhood space. However, what Covid-19 has done extremely effectively is shine a very bright light on the professionalism of those that occupy this space, regardless of whether they work in health, early years, education, social care or the police. Their commitment to their chosen career pathway and the communities they serve has been outstanding, especially given the low pay and status of many that work in these sectors and the risks that continuing to work has had on their health and that of their families.