February 25 Newsletter
Welcome to our February issue of the Early Years Employment Research Hub Newsletter! As we usher in a new year filled with opportunities and challenges, we are excited to bring you the latest insights and updates on the early years workforce. In this issue, we cover a range of important topics to keep you informed and inspired:
- National Insurance Concerns: Analysing the impact of upcoming changes to employer National Insurance contributions on early years providers.
- Experience-Based Route Initiative: Examining the new experience-based route for early years staff and its implications for workforce development.
- Digital Qualification Checking Service: Highlighting the new online portal for verifying qualifications and its benefits for early years settings.
- Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship: Introducing the new degree apprenticeship standard and its potential to improve the quality of early education.
- Burnout in the Early Years Workforce: Addressing the findings of a recent report on the challenges faced by practitioners and the urgent need for systemic support.
- Supporting the "Twoness of Twos": Exploring the unique developmental needs of two-year-olds and the critical role of early years staff in creating nurturing environments.
- Improving Our Childcare System: Discussing recommendations from the "First Steps" report on attracting new talent and improving training for existing staff.
- Empowering Practitioners: Showcasing the PSED Early Years Development Programme by Partnership for Children and its role in enhancing practitioners' skills.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to another productive year together!
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Early Years Alliance Report on the National Insurance Increase
The Early Years Alliance has raised concerns about the upcoming increase in employer National Insurance contributions (NICs), which will rise from 13.8% to 15% starting April 2025. Additionally, the threshold at which employers start to pay NICs will be reduced from £9,100 to £5,000 per year. This change, combined with increases in the national living wage, is expected to significantly impact early years providers. The report highlights that 95% of providers are likely to increase fees for non-government funded hours, and 40% may face permanent closure if the government does not provide adequate financial support.
The report also emphasizes the strain on maintaining wage differentials between more senior and junior staff members, which is crucial for staff retention and recruitment. Without urgent government action, the financial pressures could lead to a reduction in early entitlement places and increased restrictions on funded hours.
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Navigating New Early Years Workforce Initiatives
The Department for Education (DfE) has recently introduced several initiatives aimed at supporting the early years workforce. One of these is the new experience-based route (EBR), which allows early years staff without full qualifications to count towards staff-to-child ratios at Level 3 after completing a period of supervised practice. This initiative is designed to address workforce challenges by recognizing the valuable experience and skills of practitioners.
In addition to the EBR, the DfE has launched an early years digital qualification checking service. This online portal helps providers verify the qualifications of potential employees, ensuring that they meet the necessary standards. The service was developed following a successful pilot and is part of the DfE's ongoing efforts to support the expansion of the early years workforce by 35,000 by September 2025.
Furthermore, the government has announced a new Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (EYTDA) standard, which provides a three-year undergraduate route to Early Years Teacher Status. This new training pathway aims to improve the quality of early education by equipping staff with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to support children's development.
While these measures are well-intentioned and aim to enhance the early years workforce, they come with both pros and cons. The experience-based route acknowledges and leverages existing practical knowledge but might lead to inconsistencies in training quality. The digital qualification checking service streamlines the verification process but may place additional administrative burdens on providers. The new degree apprenticeship offers a structured pathway to higher qualifications, yet it requires significant time and financial investment from participants.
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"Heading for Burnout: The Early Years Workforce in England Post COVID-19" Report by Carla Solvason, Samantha Sutton-Tsang, and Nicola Stobbs
The report titled "Heading for Burnout: The Early Years Workforce in England Post COVID-19" by Carla Solvason, Samantha Sutton-Tsang, and Nicola Stobbs explores the profound challenges faced by early years practitioners. Through an online anonymous survey, the authors gathered rich qualitative data from 59 practitioners, revealing a pervasive sense of disillusionment, injustice, and exhaustion. The pandemic has magnified these emotions, exposing the sector's vulnerabilities and immense pressures placed on its workforce. Survey participants reported feeling undervalued and overworked, with many experiencing a decline in their mental and emotional well-being.
The report underscores the urgent need for systemic changes to support the well-being of early years practitioners. Without immediate intervention, there is a risk of losing skilled and dedicated professionals, which could severely impact the quality of early education. The loss of such a passionate workforce would negatively affect the most vulnerable children who rely on high-quality early years education and care. The authors call for comprehensive support measures to prevent burnout and ensure the retention of experienced practitioners, emphasizing that their passion and dedication are crucial to the sector's sustainability.
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"Talking Early Years: Twoness of Twos" from LEYF Nurseries
The article discusses the importance of understanding and supporting the unique developmental needs of two-year-olds. It highlights the challenges faced by early years educators, including the need for more leadership training and support. The report emphasizes the critical role of staff in creating language-rich, emotionally sensitive environments that cater to the developmental stage of two-year-olds. It also addresses concerns about staff ratios and the impact of inadequate funding on the quality of care and education provided.
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"First Steps: Fixing Our Childcare System" Report by Onward
The report emphasizes the need to incentivize graduates to join the early years workforce and calls for better training for existing staff. It highlights the importance of attracting new talent to the sector and ensuring that current practitioners have access to continuous professional development. Additionally, the report stresses the need for better data collection on early years outcomes by effectively tracking the progression of children. This would help in making informed decisions and improving the quality of early years education and care.
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Empowering Practitioners: The PSED Early Years Development Programme
The PSED Early Years Development Programme by Partnership for Children is a fully funded initiative aimed at improving the personal, social, and emotional development of children aged 3-5. The programme provides early years settings with online teaching resources, training sessions, and ongoing support to help practitioners enhance their skills and knowledge in supporting children's PSED. The goal is to equip practitioners with the confidence and resources needed to create a nurturing and supportive environment for children's development.
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