EYP Update: In My View - Where we are now

With 2,359 practitioners now having achieved Early Years Professional Status, and another 2,400 candidates currently undergoing the training, it is beginning to have a visible impact on the sector.

A key development is that more than 130 local authorities have established EYP Support Networks. These are already working well to maximise local uptake and support individuals in their practice after they have qualified. Those who enrolled on the course this autumn are benefiting from revised guidance to the standards, based on practical experience of the programme to date.

CWDC is also embarking on some pilot projects to test how EYPS could potentially become an element of Early Childhood Studies degrees, making EYPS a more attractive option for this group of graduates. We are also looking at how achievement of the status could better fit with foundation degrees and top-ups.

We want to ensure that the quality of the programme is continually improving and so we are currently undertaking a review of the full pathway to the status.

The development of EYPS represents a long-term commitment to improving the quality of young children's lives. In line with this, we are currently commissioning a three-year study to look at the impact of the status on the sector.

CWDC continues to work with partners to get the message about EYPS across to the widest possible audience, and the next phase of the recruitment campaign will be breaking later this autumn. We are supporting a range of local and regional activity in conjunction with EYPS training providers.