early years alliance - Research

Tackling childhood obesity through play

caroline.graham — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 15:19:40 +0000

This blog has been supplied as part of a paid partnership with Micro Scooters

Childhood obesity is on the rise.

In May this year, the Government called for help to halve childhood obesity over the next 10 years.

With 10 per cent of boys and nine per cent of girls starting primary school obese, pressure is mounting on parents and pre-schools to address this trend.

In response, Micro Scooters has launched Play for Life — an online resource for adults caring for pre-school children that explores the foundations of toddlers’ physical development and explains why for under-fives, exercise should be less about minutes and more about movement challenges.

“Micro revolutionised the school run. Now we want to change the way we think about toddler development, " said Ben Parkhouse, Deputy Managing Director of Micro Scooters.

Making the minutes count

"The Government has set a target of 180 minutes physical exercise per day with a child under 5. It’s a tall ask and daunting for many parents and those looking after children.

"Our Play for Life campaign gives practical advice on how to make those minutes count, and how to get children moving to give them the best opportunity to grow and develop into healthy and active individuals," added Parkhouse.

Play for Life emphasises that children who develop confidence in their physical ability at a very young age, grow into more confident individuals with a lower BMI and a positive relationship with exercise.

Developed with Brytespark, a team of experts in biomechanics, child development, fitness and physiotherapy, Play for Life aims to simplify the science behind these formative years and provides guidance on how to support a child in building a positive relationship with movement that will last a lifetime.

Moving to build a foundation for life

The Play for Life research looks at early years of gross motor development, from around 12 months to 7 years, and establishing movements that will become a person’s bedrock for life.

"Throughout our lives, we constantly return back to these fundamental patterns while we hone new skills. If we secure these movements with confidence, we create a foundation for a positive relationship with our bodies. During this period of development, a broad array of movement activities, in a supportive environment is highly beneficial. This will give the child the very best chance of establishing a confidence and openness to try new things and a higher level of skill should they choose to pursue sport as they grow," it says.

But as children progress "it’s important not to bracket children’s development by age alone, but rather a readiness to move on. Don’t rush a child through the stage or expect too much, too quickly. Creating a steady confidence in ability is more important than reaching milestones early".

Further information

Play for Life offers caregivers informative videos and ideas for active games and activities that can be downloaded and printed off.

Read more about Play for Life and help children to achieve their milestones with confidence.

* Alliance members get 20% off Micro Scooters when bought in bulk. Email trade-orders@micro-scooters for your exclusive discount code

This blog has been supplied as part of a paid partnership with Micro Scooters

Research

Can the GCSE U-turn solve recruitment difficulties?

sarah.evans — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:14:13 +0000

CEEDA are independent research experts who are currently running the About Early Years (AEY) research programme with support from the Alliance and other sector partners. Here Dr Jo Verrill, CEEDA's Managing Director, writes for the Alliance blog on how the government's recent U-turn on GCSE requirements is impacting on early years recruitment, as well as looking at expected likely trends for the future of the sector.

In summer 2017 there were an estimated 24,600 vacant posts in voluntary and private nurseries and pre-schools, with 45% recruiting staff and 84% finding it tough. Will the reinstatement of functional skills as acceptable equivalents to GCSE maths and English be enough to turn the tide on recruitment difficulties?

The impact of GCSE requirements

The removal of functional skills as alternatives to GCSE English and maths for the Level 3 Early Years Educator (EYE) in 2014 saw level 3 awards drop from a high of 20,820 in quarter three of 2012 to 12,325 in quarter three of 2016. Following reversal of this decision in March 2017, numbers are starting to rise, but recovery will take time.

A detailed look at the evidence base from Ceeda’s independent About Early Years (AEY) research programme shows that the recruitment problem is multi-faceted and will not be resolved by the GCSE U turn alone.

Graduate recruitment

At graduate level, enrolments on Early Years Teacher courses continue to fall from 2,327 in the 2013/2014 academic year to just 595 students in 2017/2018. This decline is unlikely to halt, following the Department for Education’s (DfE) decision to drop its workforce strategy plans to grow the early years graduate workforce in poorer areas and allow those with Early Years Teacher Status or Early Years Professional Status to lead nursery classes in maintained settings.

Workforce diversity

The stereotyped perception of childcare as a ‘job for girls’ has long been a major barrier to recruitment in the sector, wasting much needed talent and the opportunity to create a diverse environment in which children can experience gender equality from the earliest age. The summer 2017 AEY survey showed signs of growth in the male workforce from 2% last captured by the DfE in 2013¹ to 5% of the sector’s workforce. This is a positive trend upon which to build.

An increasingly competitive job market

Childcare providers must compete for staff in an increasingly tight labour market. Record employment levels of 75.6% in April to June 2018² are fuelling wage growth, with earnings increasing by 2.7% over the same period.

The spring 2018 AEY survey found average pay rates of £8.49 for early years practitioners, whilst official statistics³ show jobs such as bar work and cleaning pay just 2 pence less per hour. Sales and customer service occupations earn almost £1 more per hour at an average of £9.41. Nursery managers earned an average of £13.43 per hour in spring 2018 whist comparable roles in other sectors attract average earnings of £21.74 per hour.

These figures show that the need to raise the status of early years as a positive career choice, with competitive pay and clear career paths has never been more pressing.

Funding shortfalls

Whilst sector costs are rising, funding rates are fixed to 2020. The spring AEY survey measured day nursery and pre-school delivery costs and compared them with funding rates, revealing an estimated funding shortfall of £616.5 million in 2018/19. Childminder losses are not included in this figure.

This snapshot shows that whilst the reinstatement of functional skills has removed a significant barrier to recruitment, real progress will require a significant shift in sector status and rewards. Until funding levels better reflect the sector’s contribution and cost-base, early years is likely to remain in a weak position as the labour market heats up.

Get involved

About Early Years is an independent sector research programme delivered by Ceeda. Over 2,400 early years settings have joined the research panel to date, to contribute to surveys and enjoy the benefits of timely sector analysis. Register today and take part in our current workforce survey to receive a FREE copy of our annual sector report, on general sale at £75. The report covers all the need-to-know figures on sector fees, delivery costs, salary rates, occupancy and much more.

Further information

Register to join the panel

Purchase CEEDA's annual sector report and download free bulletins

Find out about Alliance publication Recruiting Early Years Staff

Read our blog on staff wellbeing, Happy staff, happy setting

References

Department for Education [DfE] (2014). Childcare and Early Years �°��ϲʹ�� Survey 2013. TNS B28MRB Report JN 117328. September 2014.
Office for National Statistics [ONS] (2018). UK Labour market: August 2018.
Office for National Statistics [ONS] (2018). EARN06: Gross weekly earnings by occupation. August 14, 2018.

Policy

Professional development

Research

Research Study - share your views on the professional identities of early years educators

sarah.evans — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 10:35:50 +0000

Nathan Archer is a Doctoral Researcher in Education at the University of Sheffield who is conducting a research project to collect the views and experiences of professionals from across the early years sector, on the subject of professional identities in early childhood education in England. Read more about the research project in this blog, and find out how you can take part and have your say on the construction of professional identity for early years professionals.

Are you an early educator? Do you have views on how your professional identity is shaped? Have you been involved in advocacy or activism about your role in early childhood education?

Your participation in a study on ‘Agency and Activism in Early Childhood Education: Exploring Constructions of Professional Identities’ would be welcomed.

Overview

The research aims to explore how early childhood educators understand, interpret and build their professional identities. It seeks to investigate the influences of policy and of individual’s motivations, values and beliefs in constructing their roles as early educators and the extent to which they may be involved in activism on this issue.

A two-stage approach is planned. Firstly, a number of Online Focus Groups using closed, private Facebook groups (by invite only) will be organised. Secondly, individual 1:1 interviews will be arranged, and participants will be asked to share their life stories and the influences on them as early childhood educators.

This research will run from January 2018 – May 2018.

Methods

Phase 1: Online Focus Groups

These Focus Groups will be hosted as closed, invite-only groups on the social media platform Facebook. Participants will be invited to join one group. Each group will be open for four weeks and consist of the researcher/facilitator and early childhood educators by subsector, e.g. teachers, childminders, setting managers. One or two open questions will be posted each week for four weeks and participants will be encouraged to share their views on the subject.

Phase 2: Individual Interviews

Focus group participants will be invited to take part in individual interviews on the same topic.

There will be one interview per participant lasting 60 -120 minutes. It can be held face to face at a time and location to suit you or via Skype, again at a convenient time for you. This interview will also be on the topic of professional identities and the opportunity for you to discuss a personal and professional history. The interviews will be semi-structured in style with a series of open questions. The interviews will be audio recorded.

Participants

For the online focus groups, I would like to recruit:

Childminders - A Registered Childminder provides care and education for babies, toddlers and children in their own home, supporting their learning and development.

Early Years Educators (Group based) - Early educators help babies and children up to 5 years old to develop and learn in a safe and supportive environment.

Teachers - An individual who has secured Qualified teacher status (QTS) is required in England and Wales to work as a teacher of children in state schools under local authority control, academies and in special education schools. Participants should have worked or be working in Nursery or Reception years.

Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) Leaders/Managers - Nursery or pre-school managers run early years centres, providing sessional or full day care for babies and young children from birth to 5 years.

Advisors/Consultants/Lecturers- Early Years Advisors provide advice and challenge in developing high quality practice and provision across the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Lecturers work in Further Education/Higher Education Institutions teaching courses in early childhood education.

From this group, for the 1:1 interviews I would like to recruit:

1 x Childminder

1 x Early Years Educator

1 x Teacher

1 x Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) Leaders/Manager

1 x Advisor/Consultant/Lecturer

If you are interested in taking part in one or both parts of this research, please contact Nathan Archer, Doctoral Researcher, University of Sheffield by email at: njarcher1@sheffield.ac.uk

Research

How can YOU influence early years policy?

caroline.graham — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 14:06:49 +0000

By Caroline Graham

At the Pre-school Learning Alliance we want a society where every child enjoys opportunities to develop and learn through play.

Achieving this vision means early years providers must be properly supported, so we work hard to represent the early years sector to ensure their concerns are heard by policymakers.

That’s why we are a founding sponsor of an early years research panel, run by Ceeda — an agency specialising in early years research — to provide evidence and insight to inform early years policy and practice.

To gather as much meaningful data as possible, we are looking for representatives from nurseries, pre-schools and childminders to join the panel and complete online surveys three times a year in spring, summer and autumn.

Research such as this is so important to convince policymakers (who often have limited understanding of the sector) that families and childcare providers deserve better.

Just this week, the importance of providing the government with good evidence was highlighted when Shadow Education Secretary Tracy Brabin asked Robert Goodwill, the minister of state responsible for early years, about adequate funding for local authorities and financial viability for providers with regards to the 30 hours entitlement.

Mr Goodwill replied that: "Recent research conducted by Frontier Economics, calculated the average hourly costs of providing childcare for three and four year olds, and the Government’s new funding rates compare very favourably to these. We will keep under review the data underpinning the new Early Years National Funding Formula, which is used to distribute funding for the early years entitlements."

Groundbreaking analysis

“The About Early Years panel will break new ground in delivering regular large-scale analysis of key sector issues including capacity, occupancy, funding levels, delivery costs, workforce recruitment and more,” explains Dr Jo Verrill, Ceeda’s Managing Director.

“Our aims are twofold: to establish a sound evidence base to inform accountable early years policy making at national level; and to give individual childcare providers the vital information they need to plan for the future.

“All registered PVI settings are being invited to join the panel — over 750 nurseries have signed up in the last six weeks alone. And the campaign is on its way to childminders soon,” she added.

In total we are looking to recruit a panel of 3,000 day nurseries and pre-schools and 1,000 childminders so it’s ambitious but we feel it’s important the panel is a representative as possible.

What’s in it for me?

It is completely free to take part but of course it will take up some of your time — we estimate about one-and-a-half days a year.

But in return you will receive free analysis of your own key statistics plus sector comparisons on pay rates, hourly costs, occupancy and much more.

The data you’ll get will include facts such as:

Hourly delivery costs
Pay rates by age and qualification level
Childcare fees
Occupancy levels
Staff turnover, vacancies and recruitment difficulties

Such data will provide you and your setting with vital information to help you plan better and prepare for the future — promoting efficiency and saving you time overall.

Will my information be safe?

Rest assured your contributions will be absolutely protected and confidential. The protection of your data is our first priority. Your data will be controlled and processed by Ceeda for research purposes only and will not be shared with any other party, for any other purpose.

If you have any concerns about how your data will be handled, please read Ceeda's data protection policy.

Why should I do this?

Well, big policy decisions are being made with limited understanding of sector capacity, costs and workforce challenges.

We think families and childcare providers deserve better.

If you submit your data, it will be collected and used as a solid evidence base that will inform better policy-making in the future.

We hope you’ll be part of it.

Yes, I'll join the panel

Where next?

Find out how the Alliance represents providers' concerns

Keep up to date with our campaigns

Research

Policy