The standards that early years practitioners must meet to achieve the graduate-level Early Years Professional Status have been reduced from 39 to eight.
The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) launched the original standards that govern the assessment and accreditation of early years professionals (EYPs) in 2007. In July 2011 children’s minister Sarah Teather announced a review of the standards.
The review, which was led by CWDC until April this year when it was taken over by the Teaching Agency, proposed to change the current 39 standards to just eight.
Rubberstamping the proposals, the Department for Education said: “The proposed standards have been strengthened, particularly around leadership, supporting children’s learning and safeguarding.
“They promote mentoring, reflection and working in partnership with parents and carers, professionals to ensure effective early education and care of all children.”
The eight standards cover supporting the healthy growth and development of children from birth to five through understanding how children learn and how they can be affected by individual circumstances.
Working in partnership with families to help them support their child’s wellbeing also underpins the standards as well as knowledge of the legal requirements surrounding the safeguarding and welfare of children.
The standards also require professionals to hold high expectations for each child and give constructive feedback to help them achieve. The use of observation and assessment to meet the needs of every child is also a condition of achieving the status.
The standards cover the planning of provision, and understanding and fulfilling the responsibilities of working in partnership with other agencies.
The final standard requires EYPs to lead practice and “foster a culture of continuous improvement”.
The new standards will be implemented by training providers from September.