Today’s blog is the first in what we hope will be an occasional series contributed by our members.

So welcome to our very first guest contributor reporting back on a meeting with her local MP – who, as he is Ed Balls also happens to be the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

Aspect EYP member, Kay, reports:

“I would urge everyone to go see their MP to ask them what they are doing to get some clarity about the status of Early Years Professionals. Last month I went to see mine, who just happens to be Ed Balls, also Secretary of State for Children, Families and Schools.

I wanted to know what the future holds for EYPS & when did he think that the status would become recognised as being equivalent to Qualified Teacher Status. He didn’t know, without taking it back to his parliamentary office, but he said he would be in touch with me in the next couple of weeks.

I work in a children’s centre. Ed was really interested in what was going on in our centre (which isn’t in his constituency, but is in his wife’s, just along the road!). He asked me questions about multi-agency working, how many people pass through our doors each week etc, and did seem genuinely interested.

I thanked him for all that his party had done for early years & that it was what I had been campaigning & waiting for for 30 years. I feel that ‘we’ have gone some way in getting recognition for how hard we work & what a crucial time in a child’s development the early years are.

I think now is a good time to talk to MPs. They will all be wanting our vote in the forthcoming election. And we need them to know what we care about. Talk to them whatever setting you work in. Explain the issues associated with early years funding. Ask them about EYPS and careers in early years. Let’s tell them clearly how low the pay is, still, for early years workers – and let’s make sure they know how hard we work for that money!

Thanks to Kay for feeding back to us!

Now it’s over to you. What do you think? Have you spoken to your MP, written to her/him, petitioned your local council or done anything similar? Comment below or let us know through Facebook, Twitter or email!