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Linda Nicholson
The Research Shop

Scottish Executive Social Research
2007

ISBN 978 0 7559 6514 4 (Web only publication)

This document is also available in pdf format (608k)

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND TO THE CONSULTATION

CHAPTER 2: THE CONSULTATION PROCESS

CHAPTER 3: RESPONDENTS' VIEWS ON THE CONSULTATION PROCESS

CHAPTER 4: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Q1 What are the barriers to developing a coherent early years and childcare workforce with a shared understanding of roles and responsibilities? How can they be overcome?
Q2 To what extent does the Roles and Responsibilities Framework provide a useful basis for developing a shared professional identity across the early years and childcare workforce, and for driving forward the integrated working agenda?
Q3 Does the Roles and Responsibilities Framework reflect what workers in all sectors of the workforce are likely to be doing as services develop over the coming years?
Q4 Is the Roles and Responsibilities Framework a useful basis for developing professional qualifications in the sector?
Summary of Key Points

CHAPTER 5: CAREER PATHWAYS
Q5 How accurately does this reflect career pathways in the sector at the moment?
Q6 How effective will these proposals be in promoting career pathways?
Q7 Are there other ways to promote career pathways?
Summary of Key Points

CHAPTER 6: QUALIFICATIONS, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: WRITTEN CONSULTATIONS
Q8 Views on a single qualifications framework with a shared base (or "common core") for the whole early years and childcare sector?
Childminder Question A How important is it that childminders have qualifications that are on par with the rest of the early years and childcare workforce?
Childminder Question B Would you actively undertake training and learning if it was recognised within a single qualifications and professional development framework for the whole early years and childcare sector?
Childminder Question C As a sole worker what prevents you from undertaking training and learning?
Childminder Question D What would help you to start or continue your learning and development?
Q9 The Review proposes that services should be led by SCQF level 9 qualified professionals. Should it be higher than SCQF level 9? Why?
Individual Worker Question E Is an SCQF level 9 qualification for managers and lead practitioners high enough?
Q10 What are the important features of a CPD framework?
Individual Worker Question F Does your employer support you in your continuing professional development?
Individual Worker Question I Are there any training gaps between what you were initially trained to do and the work you now carry out in the workplace? What are those gaps?
Summary of Key Points

CHAPTER 7: QUALIFICATIONS, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: VIEWS FROM THE WORKSHOPS
Workshop Question 1 Coming from the view that we should try to bring the learning to the learner, what do you think would make a level 9 qualification flexible?
Workshop Question 2 How do we ensure there are clear pathways between existing qualifications and a new SCQF level 9 qualification?
Summary of Key Points

CHAPTER 8: RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
Q11 How accurately does the report reflect the issues that affect the status of work in the early years and childcare sector?
Q12 Are there factors other than status that affect recruitment and retention of staff?
Individual Worker Question G What attracted you to work for your current or any previous early years employer?
Individual Worker Question H What would be your three most important suggestions to employers to attract new recruits?
Q13 How far do the proposals in the Review improve the status of the early years and childcare workforce?
Q14 How do we ensure the sharing of good practice on recruitment and retention?
Q15 How do you think we can attract men and other under represented groups int the sector?
Summary of Key Points

CHAPTER 9: WORKFORCE PLANNING
Q16 How accurately does this analysis capture the key challenges that face the early years and childcare sector regarding workforce planning?
Q17 What activities are you aware of that help achieve each of the attributes of workforce planning described here? At what level do they take place?
Q18 What needs to happen at a local level and at national level for effective workforce planning to take place and why?
Summary of Key Points

CHAPTER 10: A DEVELOPING PROFESSION
Q19 Are there other actions which would support the development of a single profession?
Q20 What are your views on the title "pedagogue" within a Scottish context?
Q21 How would you like to see the early years and childcare workforce named?
Summary of Key Points

TABLES
1: Respondents to the main consultation by category
2: Summary of numbers of respondents to the written and non-written consultations
3: Respondents' views on barriers to developing a coherent workforce
4: Summary of views on whether the framework reflects what workers will be doing over coming years
5: Summary of childminders' responses on the importance of childminders having qualifications on par with the rest of the workforce
6: Summary of childminders' responses on whether they would actively undertake training and learning if it was recognised within a single qualifications and professional development framework
7: Summary of views on appropriateness of proposed level 9 qualification
8: Summary of responses of childcare workers on whether SCQF level 9 is high enough for managers and lead practitioners
9: Suggested features of a CPD framework
10: Summary of views on whether training gaps exist
11: Gaps identified in initial training
12: Summary of views on the accuracy of the report regarding the issues affecting the status of the sector

ANNEXES
1:List of respondents to the main written consultation
2:Questions posed at each of the workshops
3:Volume of responses received in response to each main consultation question
4:Full list of suggestions for how the early years and childcare workforce should be named

The views expressed in the report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Scottish Executive or any other organisation(s) by which the author(s) is/are employed.

The Scottish Executive is making this research report available on-line in order to provide access to its contents for those interested in the subject. The Executive commissioned the research but has not exercised editorial control over the report.

This report is accompanied by a web only summary "Research Findings No 25 National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce: Analysis of Written Consultation and Workshop Responses".

Both reports are published by Information and Analytical Services Division, Scottish Executive Education Department, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ. If you have any enquiries about these reports please contact the Dissemination Officer on 0131-244-0894.

Both reports were published in March 2007, and were web only.

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