Professionalising the Early Childhood Workforce in England: Work in Progress or Missed Opportunity?

Autor/inn/en	Lloyd, Eva; Hallet, Elaine
Titel	Professionalising the Early Childhood Workforce in England: Work in Progress or Missed Opportunity?
Quelle	In: Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 11 (2010) 1, S.75-88 (14 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1463-9491
DOI	10.2304/ciec.2010.11.1.75
Schlagwörter	Early Childhood Education; Foreign Countries; Professional Development; Labor Force Development; Educational Strategies; Educational Policy; Policy Analysis; Caregiver Role; Caregiver Attitudes; Child Caregivers; Tenure; Discussion Groups; Politics of Education; Work Attitudes; United Kingdom (England) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Early childhood; Education; Frühkindliche Bildung; Frühpädagogik; Ausland; Arbeitskräftebestand; Lehrstrategie; Politics of education; Bildungspolitik; Politikfeldanalyse; Caregiver; Caregivers; Carer; Child; Children; Kinderbetreuung; Amtszeit; Beschäftigungsdauer; Educational policy; Work attitude; Arbeitshaltung
Abstract	This article considers policies and strategies employed to professionalise the early childhood workforce in England since the Labour government took office in 1997. The term "professionalisation" is associated here with moves towards creating a graduate early years workforce, which could have implications for training, pay and employment conditions, the specific body of knowledge and the professional identity of early years practitioners. The new status of Early Years Professional is explored, which has its legal underpinning in the 2006 Childcare Act. The discussion is informed empirically by the views of a small sample of practitioners training as Early Years Professionals. It is argued that the concept of professionalism applied here does not meet the criteria employed within sociological theories of the professions. It also contrasts with that of other professions working with young children, such as qualified teachers and social workers. Finally, it conflicts with early years practitioners' own views on their professional identity. This process could therefore be regarded as representing a missed opportunity in professionalising the role of early years practitioners in England, but instead it is viewed as a work in progress, in the light of evidence for early years practitioners' professional attitudes and commitment. (Contains 2 notes.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10