In the fantastic setting of the the Looking Glass Centre, Dudley EYPs and the Aspect Regional Officer spent yesterday evening discussing both the national and local agenda.
Particular issues were the need for a much higher profile for EYPs not just “in the trade” but with parents, MPs, and society in general. Similarly, there was much discussion about the idea of the EYP: the whole idea is about raising quality in early years, yet what do parents, carers, and society more generally think of when they look for quality? As one person commented, it may be neat and tidy, and it may be cheap – but neither of these are actually good ways to assess the quality of provision within the setting!
Funds, of course, came up as another challenge. But all were agreed: we need to push back and we need to find solutions. The difficult political backdrop makes it more important than ever that EYPs come together to push the agenda forward.
And, thinking back to an earlier article – we also talked about EYPs’ low profile. And again we asked that question of ourselves … and I ask it of you now: let each of us question, what have you done, what have we done, indeed what have I done this week to raise awareness of EYPs?
