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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A Scottish Executive Education Department consultation "National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce" was launched on 10 August 2006. Two consultation papers were issued and a series of five workshops held. One hundred and fifteen consultees responded to the main written consultation paper. The second consultation paper was shorter and aimed specifically at individual childcare workers and childminders. In total, two hundred and one childcare workers and fifty-eight childminders responded to questions posed for them. Two hundred and ten stakeholders took part in the workshops, including early years and childcare managers, childcare providers, childcare workers and local authority representatives. This report presents an analysis of the responses to both written consultations and the workshop discussions.
The National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce was announced by the Minister for Education and Young People in June 2004. The Review's remit was to improve employment opportunities for early years and childcare staff and raise the status of the sector. The Review focused on five main workstreams: roles and responsibilities; qualifications and training; career pathways; recruitment and retention; and workforce planning.
The National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce consultation is intended to inform the implementation of Investing in Children's Futures, the Scottish Executive's response to the work of the Review. The consultation documents were structured around the main topics addressed by the Review and invited views from a range of perspectives including employers, employees, regulatory bodies, representative organisations, local authorities and training providers.
The response level from consultees to each of the questions tabled in the written consultations was relatively high compared with other Scottish Executive written consultations of this nature. The exercise was also encouraging in terms of the participation of a wide range of respondents from many different perspectives. The consultation topics touched upon issues of which many respondents had first-hand experience, in addition to more strategic topics and issues for the future. One-quarter of respondents to the main consultation were representative bodies, with one-fifth constituting local authorities.
SUMMARY OF VIEWS EXPRESSED
Many consultees welcomed the Review of the early years and childcare workforce as timely and appropriate, although the decision not to include the teaching workforce within the Review, and the lack of a specific remit to address issues of pay and conditions, were criticised by some respondents.
Roles and Responsibilities ( Chapter 4)
Respondents to the main written consultation identified the key barriers to developing a coherent workforce as lack of parity in pay and conditions across the sector; the wide variety of different settings and service provision; and the wide range of qualifications and qualification routes available. Around one-third of those consultees who provided a view called for multi-agency training, with just under one-third advocating increased and sustained funding as ways to promote greater coherence across the sector as a whole.
The proposed roles and responsibilities framework was given much support with many respondents considering that it reflected what workers will be doing over coming years. Its main benefits were seen as clarifying individual roles, and enabling workers to know what is expected of them. Several respondents considered that key omissions to the framework were the roles and responsibilities of teachers and childminders.
Whilst the vast majority (83%) of respondents agreed that the framework provided a useful basis for developing professional qualifications in the sector, a common concern was that the framework may not be entirely appropriate for rural and smaller establishments.
Career Pathways ( Chapter 5)
Most respondents (68% of those who commented) considered that the consultation document presented a good or reasonably accurate picture of current career pathways in the early years and childcare sector. In particular, consultees agreed that the existence of wide differences in pay and conditions between parts of the sector stood in the way of promoting career pathways. Amongst the many suggestions made to increase the effectiveness of the proposals for career pathways were better resourcing of training and secondments; recompensing those who achieve higher qualifications and take on increased responsibilities; ensuring that those guiding and advising on careers portray an accurate and educated picture of the profession; and establishing a formal communications strategy which incorporates targeted advertising and positive images of the workforce.
Qualifications, Training and Development: Views from the Written Consultations ( Chapter 6)
Almost all of those who provided a view supported the proposed single qualifications framework set out in the main consultation. Respondents welcomed in particular the notion of core units with the availability of additional, more specialist modules, to plug gaps and add to knowledge. The recognition of prior learning within the framework was also widely appreciated.
The majority of childminders (62%) who responded to the childminders' consultation questions considered it important to have qualifications on par with the rest of the early years and childcare workforce. Around three-quarters of childminders who provided a view stated that they would undertake training and learning if it was recognised within a single qualifications and professional development framework. However, the most common barrier (mentioned by 71% of respondents) preventing them from undertaking training and learning was not having time to pursue this. Childminders considered that more flexible training delivery patterns such as evening and weekend courses might help them to take-up learning opportunities, as would financial help to cover their attendance at courses.
Most (60%) of the respondents to the main consultation considered that services should be led by Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework ( SCQF) level 9. Some consultees argued for increasing this to level 10 to be in line with teachers and other related professionals. However, many complained that pay for those attaining such levels would not rise accordingly. Others cautioned that the introduction of level 9 may be particularly challenging for the voluntary and private sector workforce in that the logistics of facilitating training and financially rewarding qualified staff could create problems.
There were mixed views amongst individual childcare workers regarding the proposal to raise the qualification level. Whilst many supported the proposal in order to increase the professionalism and status of the workforce, others considered that experience should count for more than paper qualifications and that the proposal would impact disproportionately on smaller settings and voluntary/private establishments, possibly leading to an exodus of staff from these.
The vast majority (95%) of individual workers felt supported by their employer in their continuing professional development ( CPD). Respondents to the main consultation identified varied delivery of training and learning, to accommodate a range of needs and styles, as key to an effective CPD framework.
Individual workers were relatively evenly split between those who considered their training to be comprehensive (53%), and those who could identify gaps in their training (46%). Where gaps were identified, those most commonly mentioned were: dealing with parents; report writing, writing assessments and making observations; managerial skills; administration; and dealing with children with special needs.
Qualifications, Training and Development: Views from the Workshops ( Chapter 7)
Participants at the five workshops envisaged flexibility of delivery of level 9 to involve catering for many different learning styles and offering a mix of delivery modes. One key concern was that practitioners in rural areas should not be disadvantaged by restricted delivery opportunities.
Both advantages and disadvantages to a variety of delivery modes were discussed at the workshops. Workplace delivery of level 9 was viewed as a practical and cost-effective option which combined study with day-to-day work in a convenient way. Centre-based learning was welcomed if combined with other types of delivery. The value of peer support which this offered was welcomed although disadvantages of practical and cost implications were raised. There was much support for e-learning as part of a package of flexible delivery with this form of learning seen as providing a learner-centred approach. However, drawbacks were envisaged too. In particular, e-learning was viewed as potentially isolating, daunting and de-motivating for some.
Participants considered that Higher Education Institution ( HEI) and Further Education ( FE) bodies should work together, possibly with the help of childcare partnerships, to provide a flexible course which suited the needs of the workforce. They also stipulated that employers had a role in supporting employees through their training.
There was much agreement that a robust credit transfer system should be established to enable the transfer from existing awards to the new award. Although participants agreed on the principle of recognising prior learning, there was less agreement on how such a system could operate in practice. Many argued that to be credible, such a system would need to be consistent, simple, clear, open and readily understandable with guidance given on what type of learning will be recognised. Much support was given to the idea of employees developing portfolios of learning and experience.
Calls were made for external assessors working to high and consistent standards to assess work-based learning, a system which many thought was currently lacking.
Recruitment and Retention ( Chapter 8)
The vast majority (83%) of respondents considered that the main consultation document represented well the issues affecting the status of the workforce. Many consultees (80%) considered that pay and conditions were other key factors which affected the recruitment and retention of staff. Other factors raised included work patterns (particularly the lack of full-time posts) (raised by 38% of respondents), limited job and career progression opportunities within the workforce (raised by 30%), and poor careers advice (raised by 28%).
Twenty-five per cent of individual childcare workers who expressed a view reported that providing opportunities for training and promotion, and a good reputation, were key factors which attracted them to their current employer. Most childcare workers (83%) considered that better pay and terms of service would help employers attract new recruits and/or keep workers in the sector.
A role was seen for childcare partnerships in facilitating the sharing of good practice on recruitment and retention. Some consultees recommended that existing national and local forums and networks could also be used for this function.
Three out of four of those who commented argued that increasing wages in the workforce was a way of attracting men into the sector. Other common suggestions to attract men were to address society's attitudes towards men working in the sector; to run targeted recruitment and advertising campaigns; to raise the status of childcare as a profession; and to change the messages delivered by careers guidance professionals.
Workforce Planning ( Chapter 9)
Most respondents (60%) thought the main consultation document covered broadly the key challenges facing the early years and childcare sector regarding workforce planning. A few calls were made for the sector's workforce planning to be more clearly linked to that of other related organisations such as Scottish Social Services Council ( SSSC), the Care Commission and the SCQF.
A substantial minority of respondents (around one-quarter) considered that workforce planning tended to be more reactive than strategic and was not well developed. Where examples of workforce planning were provided these were, in the main, evident at local authority level. A recurring comment was that childcare partnerships could play a key role in promoting workforce planning.
Recommendations for action at local level to enable workforce planning to take place included the implementation of national strategies by local bodies and more strategic and joined up work across local authority departments. At national level, respondents called for the provision of clear guidance and vision, and realistic and sustained funding to underpin workforce planning.
A Developing Profession ( Chapter 10)
Apart from the proposals set out in the Review, many respondents recommended that a review of pay and conditions could also contribute to the development of a single, coherent profession. It was felt that there should be more effort within the sector to join up and work together. Many respondents also considered that it was essential that teachers and childminders be included within the proposals for a single, coherent profession.
There were mixed views on the notion of using the title "pedagogue" within a Scottish context. Whilst one-quarter of those who expressed a view clearly supported its use, many others argued that it was an unfamiliar term and not appropriate for use in Scotland. Respondents provided a vast range of ideas for an appropriate name for the early years and childcare workforce, with many of their proposals including the term "early years" and/or the word "childhood". The most common six were: Early Years and Childcare Professionals, Early Years Workforce, Early Years Professionals, Early Years Educators, Early Years Managers and Early Years Practitioners.
A recurring recommendation was for continuing consultation with the early years and childcare staff on issues affecting them.
OVERARCHING THEMES TO EMERGE
A small number of themes emerged repeatedly across several different topics in both the written consultations and the workshops. These are addressed briefly below and in more detail in the main body of the report.
Issues of Pay and Conditions Across the Sector
Many respondents were disappointed that the consultation did not include a review of pay and conditions as part of its remit. A prevalent view was that an in-depth consideration of key topics such as the proposal for a single, shared framework for roles and responsibilities, higher qualification levels, career pathways and recruitment and retention, was hampered by the omission of proposals for future pay and conditions.
Associated with this was a concern that disparities in pay across the different parts of the sector created barriers to integration and the establishment of a coherent workforce with a professional image and status.
Another overarching concern was that discussions on promoting and facilitating training and learning with a view to updating skills and achieving higher qualifications, were taking place independently from a consideration of how achievement would be rewarded financially, especially by smaller voluntary and private establishments.
Such sentiments emerged across much of the consultation and indeed, dominated the responses to some questions.
Applicability of Proposals to All Settings
Whilst there was much support for many of the proposals set out in the consultation, it was also common to find respondents tempering this with caution that the proposals may not be entirely appropriate in smaller, independent establishments and rural settings. A recurring comment was that a "one size fits all" approach may not work in this context.
It was felt that to a large extent, market forces determined pay in the private and voluntary sectors, therefore restricting the flexibility of employers to attract and retain workers with higher pay deals. Opportunities for vertical and horizontal career pathways were seen as limited in these environments, with other difficulties foreseen in releasing staff for training and learning.
Many respondents raised concerns that even if staff could be released, accessing training in remote and rural areas could prove to be difficult without some innovatory thinking around sharing facilities, flexible delivery including remote learning, and peripatetic working by trainers and assessors. In a profession without a tradition of sharing and joined-up working this was seen as problematic.
Importance of Experience
Many of the consultation questions sparked a robust defence of the value of experience amongst the workforce, perhaps highlighting that any future development of an integrated qualifications and development framework must, where possible, build on experience as well as offering professional development and achievement of formal qualifications.
There were concerns that the quest for qualifications would take precedence over valuing long-standing experience, and perhaps precipitate an exodus of valuable staff who did not wish to pursue the qualifications ladder. Many considered that gaining on-the-job experience could contribute to increasing standards of care in a way which no amount of paper qualifications could guarantee.
Teachers and Childminders
Although the consultation stated clearly that teachers working in early years settings were not part of this Review as they had only recently been subject to a major review, this did not prevent many requests from respondents to change this decision in order to address issues on a comprehensive basis. Not including teachers and the perceived exclusion of childminders 1 were highlighted repeatedly by respondents from across different sectors as barriers to in-depth consideration of many topics such as career pathways, roles and responsibilities, training and qualifications, and creating a single, coherent profession.
Portraying an Appropriate Image
The importance of portraying an appropriate image of the workforce was a dimension running through many of the topics raised in the consultation, for example, in relation to recruitment, status, abilities of new recruits, and so on. This was also an issue which tended to unite respondents in agreement that the current portrayal of the sector appeared to be inaccurate, misleading and unhelpful. Those working in the sector shared a common understanding of the qualities and skills required to do their work well, with many complaining that the public image of the workforce, and particularly the way they thought that it was being marketed in schools and job centres, did not match the reality and demands of the job.
Many ideas were provided by respondents on ways to improve the image of the sector with better marketing approaches and a major drive to address what was seen as current inadequate careers guidance in schools and colleges.
All of these themes are discussed in more detail at appropriate sections of this analysis report.
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