Aspect EYP Zone

Posts Tagged ‘pay’

Chasing the parties for answers on Early Years Professional Status (EYPS)

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Aspect has written to each of the main parties to elicit their views and commitments regarding Early Years Professional Status. Our letters have been sent to Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrats), Ed Balls (Labour), and Tim Loughton (Conservative).

The letters remind each party of the huge strides forward that have already been made with the introduction of the EYPS, alongside other developments such as the focus on level 3 qualifications and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

They also highlight, however, that the EYPS project remains fragile, and why – with vulnerable and sparse roles, limited career paths, and the very low levels of pay still prevalent for many.

Aspect has therefore asked four simple questions of each party:

1 – Are you committed to maintaining and developing the Early Years Professional Status programme, and providing statutory force to the 2010 and 2015 targets, to ensure there are EYPs in every setting?

2 – Are you committed to working with professional bodies in the children’s workforce, including the early years sector, in order to develop effective and sustainable career paths and salary arrangements?

3 – What measures would you implement to deliver parity between Qualified Teacher Status and Early Years Professional Status in terms of

a – remuneration and conditions of service

b – status transferability, with parity in respect to routes to transition between QTS and EYPS

c – public understanding, recognition and awareness?

4 – What plans do you have to develop effective professional registration mechanisms and the funding and infrastructure for effective Continuous Professional Development for EYPs, to ensure equity and parity with comparative professionals?

Watch this space for updates as we have them …

Tags: Career Paths, Conservatives, CPD, EYPs, Lib Dems, Parity with QTS, pay, Registration
Posted in EYP | 3 Comments »

Why are early years workers always the poor relation?

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

It doesn’t seem to matter which way you look at it from. Early years workers always seem to be the ones expected to be very grateful for a poor second best.

You may have seen coverage of the plans to introduce a new pilot scheme similar to the “Teach First” scheme in early years (tender details are here). The Teach First scheme (about which more can be found here) was set up to drive the recruitment of the very best graduates into school teaching. Although controversial it has nevertheless become part of the landscape in schools.

The pilot for a similar scheme for early years would, of course, therefore be expected to be very similar? Well you would have thought wouldn’t you?

Except … well let’s look at the pay that is predicted. Yes, it’s lower – and quite a bit lower – up to £3000 or £4000 in practice (quite a big deal if you’ve got a £20000 student loan to pay back?). And of course no school holidays (even if teachers do end up using their holidays to do planning, at least they do get the chance to plan then). No pension scheme either.

So what about the career prospects and salary structure after the two year period is up? Well if you’re on Teach First you would have QTS so you’d be straight onto the teachers’ pay scales. Those undertaking the new early years scheme, gaining EYPS … well we all know the problems there.

Aspect’s view was summed up by John Chowcat, Aspect General Secretary, in CYP Now this week. It is simply unacceptable that yet again early years is to be the poor relation for yet another new scheme.

The CWDC say they want the very best graduates. And there is no question our children deserve the very best. But yet again the reality of early years is that the workers throughout the sector are expected to live and work on pride and goodwill.

Tags: CWDC, CYP Now, pay, Pensions, Teach First
Posted in EYP | No Comments »

The Nursery World Show Experience

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Despite a rather sparse stall, Aspect’s Nursery World Show experience was a good one! Anne-Marie McKay, Aspect’s organiser and learning guru led the way with open sessions on “Rights and Responsibilities at Work”. Meanwhile Helen Willis ran sessions for EYPs and other professionals on how we fight for professionalism throughout early years, and fight against the appalling pay and conditions that still render early years the poor relation and undermine so much of the other good work that is happening all day every day.

The two days were rendered extra challenging and exciting by the non-arrival of much of our material. (For some reason the boxes of magazines, application forms, and general useful “stuff” seem to have decided they would rather spend the weekend driving around London in a courier’s van!) However, we had- thankfully – brought some literature with us on trains and in taxis, and indeed we gave away pretty well all that we had. Our somewhat minimalist stall became even more minimalist as we went along!

Perhaps the most positive element of all was seeing first hand how much respect and support Aspect now has among leaders in early years – both Early Years Professionals and all their colleagues in related fields. The sessions on professionalism in early years showed again just how strong the demands among early years leaders are, calling for proper professional development and structured career paths, and for early years workers to become the respected and integral part of the children’s workforce they should be.

Tags: Nursery World Show, pay, Professionalism, Rights
Posted in EYP | No Comments »

Have you signed the EYP Payscales petition yet?

Friday, November 20th, 2009

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to ensure Early Years Professionals (EYPs) are recognised and rewarded commensurate with their professional status and leadership role in early years, through the agreement and implementation of nationally agreed structures for pay and conditions

Do you agree with this? If you do, sign today and pass on the word.

It’s really easy:

Click and follow this link http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/eyppayscales/
Follow the instructions on the page
Go to your email inbox
Click on the confirmation link to ensure your signature is added
Send the link on to everyone you can think of to get them to sign as well

Here’s a bit more background:

Early Years Professionals are being recruited in order to lead change, drive excellence throughout the early years sector, and spearhead the government’s drive to tackle the poor outcomes that still dominate in areas of entrenched disadvantage.

However, despite this crucial role in leading change it has been shown (Aspect survey, published 2009) that the average pay for an EYP is only £8-£9.

Early Years Professional Status is considered equivalent to Qualified Teacher Status. When recruited EYPs were told the new roles would lead to positions that had parity with the roles of teachers in schools. It is essential that to continue to recruit and retain this essential workforce, and to meet the ambitious targets the CWDC are working towards to have EYPs in every setting by 2015, similar national pay arrangements to teachers (and other professional groups such as doctors, social workers and police officers) should be put in place immediately.

Tags: Parity with QTS, pay, petition, Status
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Aspect members’ GLF issues picked up by CYP Now

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Several members have recently approached us with concerns over the administration of the Graduate Leader Fund in their setting. Sadly this appears to be a problem all over the country.

While it seems – thanks goodness – to be only a minority of employers where this is an issue, for those affected it is clearly of major importance as it is money that should be going to salaries to recognise leadership status, skills and responsibilities.

This issue has been picked up by CYP Now today.

These are of course other issues associated with the GLF as well. Hugely variable in the way it is administered in different settings and LAs, unavailable to those in many sessional settings or to childminders, and with no clear long-term future, the GLF is no silver bullet. Yet for many EYPs it is nevertheless a vital source of income. It is simply unacceptable if it disappears into settings or is used to replace basic pay.

Tags: CYP Now, employers, GLF, pay
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Let’s stop arguing about the size of each slice: the answer to funding issues is a bigger cake

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

All over the country the Single Funding Formula (SFF) is causing problems.

Highly qualified and experienced nursery nurses and early years teachers are being made redundant. EYPs are finding already elusive jobs even harder to find. Managers are spending far too many hours looking at spreadsheets, trying to work out how to cut a bit on catering, lose something on the nappy budget, and maybe defer that bit of redevelopment that would have made continuous provision easier, access for double buggies simpler, and met disability access needs.

This is appalling. The stress, the despair, and the consequent media coverage is understandable. But why is the bigger picture so often being missed?

Let’s look at it a bit differently. The idea of a fair funding framework is not really a problem. The problem is partly how it is applied. Many have spoken about that. But the real question is …

… how much money is going into that framework?

At the moment some with bigger slices of the cake are having their slices very much reduced. The difference is being shared out. But many others, most of whom only ever had tiny slices in the first place, are now only each getting a few extra crumbs as even a seemingly large portion doesn’t go far divided among many.

The real answer, therefore, is that we need a bigger cake.

We need to level up not down.

The SFF seems to be leading towards a place where the lowest common denominator prevails. Aspect has been loudly calling for more recognition for professionals throughout early years, with proper pay scales, real CPD, and meaningful career structures. Many other campaigning groups and unions are also fighting to highlight the low status, pay and recognition of early years workers.

Yet the SFF seems to push in the other direction. Where better salaries have been won now those pay arrangements are under attack. Where staff with higher qualifications, and more professional career paths are in place the settings are cutting back on those high quality leaders or barring other staff from similar progression.

All three political parties have stated their belief in the importance of the early childhood years. Yet when it comes to funding and real hard cash commitment the substance still seems to be lacking.

It is time every one of us throughout early years stands up to demand genuine commitments to match the pledges on tackling disadvantage and supporting quality.

Quality costs. And no degree of careful reallocations of money according to any formula will overcome that basic need for more money, if we are ever to really have high quality staff delivering high quality provision in every setting.

Tags: funding, Jobs, Money, pay, SFF
Posted in EYP | 2 Comments »

What have YOU done to raise awareness of EYPs this week?

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Earlier this week Aspect ran two workshops at the EYP Somerset and North Somerset Conference.

During these workshops, where delegates quickly got “down and dirty” clustered around their flip chart sheets, the EYPs identified the barriers they face, and how to fight back.

Intense discussion in Taunton

As in the Aspect survey, as well as the obvious – pay, roles, careers – a key theme that emerged was the imperative demand for better understanding of what EYPS is and what EYPs do. Obviously this is something Aspect has long been tackling at the national level. However it was also agreed, that every EYP and EYP student also needs to act locally.

And sometimes the best ideas are the simple ones:

are EYPs recognised on the staff gallery or noticeboard in your setting?
do EYPs wear badges with their status proudly on display?
does your setting boast about its EYP(s) in its literature?
do parents know how their EYP is leading the curriculum?
have you been in the local paper when you got your EYPS or when you were appointed to your role?
does your setting celebrate qualifications and training generally?
have you got the Aspect EYP charter on the wall?

And outside your setting …

Does your LA encourage parents to ask about EYPs when they visit settings?
If you are a parent yourself, do you make a point of always asking about a setting’s view of EYPS and tell them you think EYPs are crucial?
Have you explained to friends and family exactly why EYPS is so important in raising quality in early years?

And then of course there’s the bigger picture …

Have you and every other member of your local LA network signed up for Aspect?
Do you talk to any student EYPs about the need to join Aspect and to stand up proudly for EYPS?
If you are on Twitter or Facebook do you take every chance to publicise EYPs (and Aspect)?
Has everyone you know signed the EYP payscales petition?
Have you made sure every MP in your area knows about EYPs and what they do? (See our template letter here)

Simply put, the question is clear: what you have YOU done this week to raise the profile of EYPs?

Tags: EYP Charter, pay, petition, publicity, Staff Gallery
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Aspect among the Yurts & Tipis

Monday, September 28th, 2009

A number of EYPs from the Coventry and Warwickshire networks spent this weekend exploring the joys of campfires, pizza-ovens, and shared Tipis near Hereford.

As well as learning more about finger-knitting, Tai Chi, and of course each other, the EYPs also had time to experience the simple enjoyment to be gained from living in the woods, going for walks and sitting calmly appreciating the sun!

Tai Chi on a sunny hillside

Breaking up the more restful and calming activities though, the first part of Saturday afternoon was dedicated to learning about Aspect’s work and our role in supporting EYPs. There was no doubting the instinctive and immediate agreement with the results of Aspect’s survey into EYP views, the anger with the status quo, or the need for much more awareness of the role of EYPs nationally.

The EYPs agreed that only with a strong independent voice will EYPs ensure they are really heard on the national stage.

Have you joined Aspect yet?

Tags: networks, pay, Union membership
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Template letter to MP on pay & career structures

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Aspect had a highly successful stand and ran two well attended seminars at the CWDC national event for EYPs in Birmingham on July 14th. We agreed to make available a letter you can use to send to your local MP – and local councillors. Here it is. Share it with colleagues and even better get a group letter sent to your local MP and go and see him or her at their “surgery”. If you are successful let us know!

DRAFT LETTER
Address
Address
Address

Date

MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

Dear [MP]

Early Years Workforce – Pay & Career Structures

I am writing to ask you to raise with the Department of Children, Schools and Families the urgent need to introduce appropriate and effective career structures to support the workforce, including the new graduate leaders, Early Years Professionals (EYPs), in the early years sector.

As you will no doubt be aware, Early Years work – despite its importance – is particularly poorly paid, with many (including graduates and professionals with many years of experience) only being paid just above the minimum wage. This is an increasingly highly-skilled workforce, supporting parents and families to participate in employment, as well as providing care and education to our youngest and most vulnerable children. Research has definitively demonstrated that higher skills and training among staff lead to better outcomes for children. As a result there is – rightly in my view – an accelerating drive towards an increasingly skilled workforce.

However, without appropriate structures being put in place to ensure clear career progression and appropriate pay and conditions, the recruitment of excellent staff into the sector will become increasingly problematic. Unless increasing skills levels are matched by appropriate salary levels and access to ongoing professional development, retention will also continue to be problematic, and potentially become worse as the ability to move elsewhere increases with higher skill levels.

You may also be aware that another concerning issue in Early Years provision remains the lack of men in the workforce – currently, despite initiatives to tackle the issue over the years, female staff still account for 98% of early years workers. This has also been demonstrated to be linked to the poor wages and lack of career structures.

Finally, I would like to bring to your attention one of the most acute examples of this area of concern. Early Years Professionals are graduate leaders currently being brought into early years to lead practice and ensure excellence across Early Years settings throughout England. Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) is equivalent to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), with key responsibilities in leading the Early Years Foundation Status (EYFS) and in supporting their colleagues in leading and ensuring best practice. The importance of this drive to raise standards is shown by the target that every full daycare setting in disadvantaged areas must have two EYPs by 2015, with all such settings employing at least one.

Despite these responsibilities and the importance of the EYP role in ensuring all children have access to the best possible Early Years experiences, a recent survey carried out by Aspect, the professional association for children’s services professionals, revealed that the most common wage earned by EYPs is only £8-£9 per hour.

Retention of the EYP workforce is already proving to be problematic. Unlike the teaching workforce – an equivalent group of professionals – there are no career structures, no agreed pay arrangements, and no entitlements to ongoing professional development. If the drive to bring new graduate expertise and leadership into early years is not to wither, like so many previous attempts to tackle issues connected with this sector, it is essential these issues are addressed with urgency.

I am writing therefore to request that you raise these concerns on my behalf, and on behalf of all the children and families in our constituency, with Ed Balls and his colleagues in the Department of Children Schools and Families (DCSF) and through all other appropriate channels. I would also like to invite you to visit our [your group] EYP network/training provider, or to arrange a separate meeting to discuss these issues further.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Name

Tags: campaign, MP letter, pay
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