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CHAPTER 5: CAREER PATHWAYS
The main consultation stated:
"Career pathways" is the term used to describe the routes available to staff to move within the sector and between related sectors. Building clearer pathways which support lateral (between and across sectors) and vertical (where workers increase their levels of responsibility) career progression can attract new recruits into the sector and help to retain experienced staff.
The early years and childcare workforce faces particular challenges in developing better career pathways. Workers have identified the lack of career development opportunities as a key concern. Currently there is little evidence of early years and childcare staff moving across the local authority, private and voluntary sectors and there continues to be significant barriers to this arising largely from pay and conditions differentials across the sectors. In addition, the current predominantly female workforce depends on relatively high numbers of part time and sessional workers who face particular difficulties in progressing their careers, for example difficulties in accessing training and development opportunities.
This section (Chapter 3 of the main consultation document) has highlighted some of the current barriers to career pathways in early years and childcare, e.g. qualification structures, cultural differences or misconceptions across the different parts of the workforce, wide differences in pay and conditions between parts of the sector, and a lack of advice about career development opportunities.
5.1 The main consultation asked:
Q5: HOW ACCURATELY DOES THIS REFLECT CAREER PATHWAYS IN THE EARLY YEARS AND CHILDCARE SECTOR AT THE MOMENT?
In total, ninety two respondents (80%) addressed this question. Of these, around two-thirds (68%) stated that they considered that Chapter Three of the main consultation document presented a reasonably accurate or good picture of current career pathways in the early years and childcare sector. A further 4% of respondents thought that current career pathways were only partially reflected, with a very small minority of 3% of consultees disagreeing that the picture presented was accurate. The remaining quarter (24%) of respondents did not give a clear response to the question but provided relevant commentary only. 6
A few consultees complimented the drafting of this section of the consultation document, reporting that they found it to be a very clear section ( TP, Rep) with which many practitioners would be able to identify ( TP).
5.1.2 Views on the Barriers to Career Pathways
Many respondents focused on particular barriers identified in the consultation document and expressed their agreement that these appeared to be problematic. The most common focus for consultees from a variety of categories was the wide differences in pay and conditions between parts of the sector. One consultee remarked that this problem affected both vertical and lateral career movement ( LA). Others focused on what they perceived to be the barrier of complex and inconsistent qualification structures. Several consultees commented that they found that at present, " bizarre and unconnected qualifications" seemed acceptable for SSSC registration.
Other respondents considered current career pathways to be disjointed ( CP, Rep), complex ( LA), with limited opportunities for career progression ( CProv) and restricted movement between sectors ( CProv).
A few consultees identified further barriers which they considered played a part in limiting career pathways:
- Private and voluntary sector employees not as well supported by their employers as those in the public sector ( LA)
- Lack of mutual understanding between sectors (Rep, Rep)
- Lack of men as employees in the sector ( LA)
- Posts seen as part time and not part of a career path ( CProv)
- Lack of capacity of some training provides to deliver qualifications in flexible way ( CP)
A few other general comments were made by respondents. It was pointed out that some staff simply do not want to move vertically, and lateral movement should be promoted more as a strength of the sector (Rep, Rep). Another view was that some employees do not want to move across sectors ( TP).
5.2.3 Views on the Limitations of the Picture Presented
Of the relatively few criticisms of this section, one was repeated by several respondents. This was that in their view the section did not take enough cognisance of the particularly challenging circumstances of rural areas with regard to this sector. Other respondents commented that the picture painted appeared to lack an understanding of the differences in roles of workers in different sectors within the workforce (Rep); that it failed to recognise adequately the different routes to achieving qualifications (Rep); that it lacked a full understanding of the lateral pathways available (Rep); and that the position of childminders had been overlooked (Indiv). The latter consultee expressed their view thus:
" The review seems to be a missed opportunity to demonstrate the value of childminders by including them in the professionalisation of the workforce"
5.2 The consultation asked:
Q6: HOW EFFECTIVE WILL THESE PROPOSALS BE IN PROMOTING CAREER PATHWAYS ACROSS THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE EARLY YEARS AND CHILDCARE SECTOR, AND MORE WIDELY?
This question, along with question nine attracted the largest volume of response to the main consultation document, with 97% of respondents providing a direct response or some commentary of relevance to the issues raised by the question.
5.2.1 General Comments and Concerns
Because many of the responses tended to contain more general commentary than a specific response to the question it was not possible to quantify the degree to which consultees considered the proposals to be effective. However, there were many comments along the lines of:
" very encouraging…..would provide the profession with a flexible career path allowing practitioners to move between services" ( CProv)
One respondent considered that the proposals would be effective as they provided a generic range of qualifications across the sector, would reach the right audiences, and established the right conditions for the promotion of career pathways ( LA). Another view was that the proposals would ensure that staff were more informed, which would help them to make better career choices ( LA). Several consultees provided their support for the proposals in theory, but raised concerns about their implementation.
A few respondents commented that the consultation document did not, in their view, address some of the entrenched barriers to progress (Rep, Rep).
An overwhelming concern, expressed repeatedly by respondents from every category, was that without addressing what they saw as the fundamental problem of differences in pay and conditions across the sector, the effectiveness of the proposals would always be compromised.
Other barriers which many respondents raised as inhibiting the effectiveness of the proposals were worries about job security in the independent sector, and the difficulties associated with working in rural locations.
A few consultees cautioned against inadvertently excluding those workers who were not interested in vertical progression and may wish to work only part-time ( CP, TP). One questioned whether the outcomes would be acceptable across Great Britain (Indiv).
Some respondents were concerned that the experience and qualifications which people brought to the sector should not become lost (Rep, Rep, Rep) or diluted (Rep, Rep, Rep, LA).
It was recommended that examples of instances where such barriers have been overcome should be identified and shared (Rep, TP).
5.2.2 Suggestions for Ways to Increase Effectiveness of the Proposals
Many respondents agreed that the proposals would go some way to promoting career pathways across the different parts of the sector but other factors would help to ensure the effectiveness of the plans.
Most commonly raised was the need to resource what were envisaged as the higher costs associated with training and secondments. Some consultees suggested that ring-fenced monies would be required. A few respondents questioned where this money would come from ( LA, CP, CPr). Another related common theme was that those who achieved higher qualifications and increased responsibilities would need to be recompensed accordingly.
Many respondents argued that in order for the proposal to be effective, there needed to be changes in the mindset of those within and those outwith the profession. Consultees stressed that the workforce needed to be valued and recognised by professionals working in related areas ( LA, Indiv, CP), whilst the existing and potential workforce itself had to be ready to take up new opportunities on offer ( TP, CP, Indiv, LA).
The importance of partnership working was stressed ( LA, TP) with one suggestion that the support of CoSLA be sought along with lead bodies for social work, teaching, community learning and development, health, the FE and HE sectors and Careers Scotland to help ensure national coherence and consistency ( LA).
It was argued that the effectiveness of the proposals would benefit from having employers and voluntary committees on board (Rep, Rep, CP) with a consistent approach to promoting the sector from various agencies including schools, colleges and universities ( CP, CP, Rep). A few respondents considered that individual establishments would require to be much more flexible in order to effect the changes proposed ( CP, CP, TP). Others recommended that more emphasis should be placed in creating posts to allow for both vertical and horizontal progression ( LA, LA, CP, Rep), with potential career routes signposted clearly (Rep, Rep, TP). Likewise, one consultee argued for more opportunities for work placements with suitably qualified workplace tutors ( TP).
Two respondents stressed that a period of stability was needed to facilitate the proposals' effectiveness ( CP, Rep). Others agreed that the plans would need time to bed in ( CProv, LA).
5.3 The main consultation asked:
Q7: ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO PROMOTE CAREER PATHWAYS?
Overall, 90% of respondents to the main consultation addressed this question with a wide variety of suggestions made of other ways to promote career pathways. Whilst there was some overlap with ideas previously given, some fresh suggestions were also made.
The most common suggestion was that there needed to be a much more educated and accurate promotion of the profession by those involved in guiding and advising on careers. Respondents from all categories agreed that there was a responsibility amongst career promoters to steer people away from the view that anyone can work in childcare, towards informing them of the skills and professionalism required to work within the sector. One consultee argued for a clear statement and marketing approach to the promotion of the sector (Rep). Others recommended that a formal communications strategy be developed which incorporated targeted advertising and positive images of the workforce ( CP, TP, Rep, Rep).
Another common theme was that of greater resourcing of the sector in order to address differentials in pay and condition across the workforce and enable qualifications and increased responsibilities to be rewarded.
Many consultees made recommendations to promote the gaining of inter-sectoral experience. A recurring comment was that there should be more opportunity for secondments, work shadowing or even exchanging posts in order for the workforce to gain a broader experience across the sector. A few respondents proposed childcare apprenticeships ( CP, LA, CProv). Others considered that training placements in a variety of settings would contribute to the promotion of longer-term career pathways across the sector (Rep, LA, CProv, CProv, CP). This idea fitted with the encouragement from a few respondents for more innovation in training, for example subjecting trainees to a variety of settings, ages of children and diverse approaches to the curriculum ( LA, CProv, Rep). One suggestion was for the introduction of a probation period for employees during which they had a chance to find out the type of roles that suited them (Rep, LA).
Another commonly expressed comment was that career pathways can be promoted by valuing and crediting prior learning and experience and recognising continued professional development. One respondent recommended that people should be made much more aware of the different routes which could lead to qualifications (Rep). Others argued for greater flexibility in ways of delivering training ( LA, LA, CProv). It was considered that employees should be encouraged to follow their own particular interests when choosing training and career paths ( LA, CP, CProv).
Some consultees expressed concern that the workers in rural areas should not be left behind regarding career pathways and urged that special attention is paid to ensuring that career pathway opportunities are created in rural locations (Rep, CP, LA).
A few respondents considered that greater efforts towards collaboration amongst stakeholders across the sector (e.g. Colleges, Job Centres, Scottish Enterprise, Careers Scotland, training providers) would contribute to the promotion of career pathways (Rep, Rep, CP).
Finally, it was recommended that lessons might be learned from other models in other disciplines ( TP). One consultee suggested that there might be merit in looking at the way banks promote their life-long career pathways (Indiv). Another suggestion was to learn from the model of standards established by Ministers and the GTCS for teachers (Rep). Other consultees recommended using the integrated services model as a base from which to drive forward changes ( LA, LA, Rep).
Amongst the many responses to this consultation question was one dissenting voice from a respondent who argued that career pathways are already fairly obvious without the need to promote them even more ( CProv).
5.4 SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS
- Around two-thirds (68%) of those who provided a view considered that the consultation document presented a reasonably accurate or good picture of current career pathways in the early years and childcare sector.
- Many respondents expressed their agreement that wide differences in pay and conditions between parts of the sector stood in the way of promoting career pathways.
- Many ways to increase the effectiveness of the proposals for career pathways were suggested including:
- 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 a much more accurate and educated picture of the profession; and
- establishing a formal communications strategy which incorporates targeted advertising and positive images of the workforce.
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