Early Years Professional Status Training - 15 December 2006

Suffolk College and UEA to deliver Early Years Professional Status Training in East Anglia

Suffolk College and UEA have jointly been awarded a contract to deliver training and assessment in the East of England for Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) by the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC).

Suffolk County Council is working in partnership with Suffolk College to provide information, advice and guidance through the Early Years and Childcare Training Unit. Funding to support some candidates may also be available from the County Council.

EYPS is a new nationally recognisable status equivalent to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The role has been created in response to a national consultation on the future of the children’s workforce that highlighted the need to ensure that young children receive consistently high quality care and education.

The Government aims to have an Early Years Professional (EYP) in every children’s centre by 2010 and in every full daycare setting by 2015.

From January 2007 Suffolk College and UEA will be offering four pathways for graduates to achieve EYPS. These range from a three-month part-time course for those who can already demonstrate that they meet many of the standards for EYPS to a full-time course lasting for twelve months to attract more individuals into working with young children. In certain circumstances there will be financial support for early years settings to support their practitioners in achieving this status and for the individual candidates.

There has been a history of positive collaboration between the two institutions in delivering early years training and qualifications. This opportunity is a further step forward to help ensure that both the status of early years and the quality of care children receive is raised.

Anyone who is interested in participating should visit www.cwdcouncil.org.uk, contact Gillian Preece on 01603 592643, email: gillian.preece@uea.ac.uk or Elizabeth Smith on 01473 296329, email: elizabethsmith@suffolk.ac.uk, or the Early Years and Childcare Training Unit on 01379 678380.

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

For further information please contact:

Sally Payne, Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies

Tel: 01473 296654

Email: sallypayne@suffolk.ac.uk

Suffolk County Council Early Years and Childcare Training Unit is working in partnership with Suffolk College can offer advice to early years and childcare practitioners about gaining this new status.

Contact Pauline Morgan 01379 678380 or visit the Early Years and Childcare Service

Website: www.suffolk.gov.uk

Issued by Promotions

15 December 2006