Childhood Practice supporting leadership in early education and childcare

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Childhood Practice- supporting leadership in
early education and childcare

• The Scottish Learning Festival 2008.

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Background

• Following the launch of Investing in Childrens
  Futures- clear parameters set for development of
  an integrated qualifications and professional
  development framework
• Led by the SSSC because of regulatory and
  workforce development responsibilities

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The Scottish Social Services Council
(www.sssc.uk.com)

• The SSSC was established in 2001
• It is the regulator of the social services
  workforce in Scotland, of its education and
  training, and has workforce development
  responsibilities
• It holds a qualifications based register
• Duties include protecting those who use the
  social services raising standards of practice and
  raising public confidence in the sector
• The early years and childcare workforce (day care
  of children) began to register in April 2006

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Registration

• SSSC has been asked by Scottish Ministers to
  change the qualifications requirements for
  managers of Day Care of Children Services
  register in 2011
• From that date managers in early years services
  will require the Childhood Practice award

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Professions working together

• There is an increasing focus in Scotland on
  professions, including teaching, social work,
  social services workers, family and community
  workers and health working together to provide
  children and their families with the best
  possible start in life
• For Scotlands Children (2001) Getting it Right
  for Every Child (2006) Investing in Childrens
  Futures (2006) set out the policy agenda
• Childhood Practice, the emerging profession in
  early years and childcare, is central to these
  developments

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The level of qualification

• The level of qualification in this emerging
  profession is increasing
• High levels of investment by Scottish Government
  since 2001 to raise the levels of qualification
  of the EECC workforce
• The current requirement for managers of centres
  is a qualification at SCQF level 8
• There is an ambition to have all centres led by
  professionals qualified to degree level in early
  years and childcare
• In 2011 the requirement for managers will be
  raised to SCQF level 9 (degree level)

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Best outcomes for children

• Research in England and across Europe has
  identified effective leadership of centres and
  improved outcomes for children is directly
  linked
• Stats Effectiveness of Leadership in pre-fives-
  Improving Scottish Education HMIE(2006)

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Investing in Childrens Futures(2006)

• Vision
• high quality outcomes for children are directly
  associated with the level of qualification of
  staffto secure this we need skilled, flexible
  professional workforce, able to adapt to changing
  demands and expectations, who have clear
  opportunities for development and career
  progression
• Key action
• developing leadership in the early years and
  childcare sector by creating a workforce that is
  led be degree or work based equivalent qualified
  professionals

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Investing in Childrens Futures (2006)

• An integrated qualifications and professional
  development framework by 2007
• Programmes offering the new qualifications for
  leaders to be in place by September 2008
• New qualifications for those entering and
  progressing through the workforce by 2009
• A toolkit developed to support an understanding
  of progression routes for the workforce by 2009.

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The Standard for Childhood Practice(2007)

• Informed by theoretical perspectives linked to
  childhood, childcare and professional learning
• Reflects a shared understanding of the need to
  make new professional connections between these
  complex concepts
• Drew together all relevant stakeholders
• Used a qualitative, collaborative methodology
• Involved documentary analysis, ongoing critical
  commentary from a national technical group,
  sector focus groups and a formal written
  consultation

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The Standard for Childhood Practice

• Defines Childhood Practice as a profession in
  Scotland
• Provides a Scottish subject benchmark statement
  for Childhood Practice
• Takes account of existing Standards and
  descriptors
• Provides a clear definition of the values and
  personal commitment, knowledge and understanding,
  and skills and abilities required to lead
  professional action in the sector
• Informs all awards on the integrated
  qualifications framework

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The Standard for Childhood Practice
Professional values and personal commitment
Professional action
Professional knowledge and understanding
Professional skills and abilities
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The Standard for Childhood Practice

• The Standard includes guidelines for award design
• Partnership arrangements
• Work based learning
• Part time, flexible delivery
• Fit with the framework for progression
• Recognition of prior learning
• Childhood Practice degree qualifications will be
  validated by
• universities and accredited by SSSC

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The Standard for Childhood Practice

• The Standard statement allows the development of
  degree level programmes in Childhood Practice
• Underpins future qualification development and
  SSSC professional recognition
• Published in 2007, on the SSSC website, with a
  supporting document Delivering the Standard
  coming soon
• It is already influencing policy development in
  Scotland and is set to have a significant impact
  on practice.

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What is the award?

• Needs to be an award in Childhood Practice with
  360 credits over levels 7,8 and with an output at
  level 9
• Most managers currently registered with SSSC have
  as a minimum an HNC Early Education and Childcare
  plus either a PDA or an SVQ CCLD level 4
• This means almost all will have credit to
  transfer either into the award or within the
  awards

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How RPL could work

• Childhood Practice 360 credits with an output at
  SCQF level 9

SCQF Level 9
SCQF Level 8
SCQF Level 7
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Childhood Practice Award -

• HNC plus PDA EECC

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SCQF Level 9
SCQF Level 8
SCQF Level 7
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Childhood Practice Award -

• SVQ 4 only

SCQF Level 9
SCQF Level 8
SCQF Level 7
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Childhood Practice Award -

• HNC SVQ 4

SCQF Level 9
SCQF Level 8
SCQF Level 7
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Questions or comments

• For further information Frances Scott
• Senior Learning and Development Advisor
• Frances.scott_at_sssc.uk.com

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Childhood Practice Award -

• SVQ 3 4

SCQF Level 9
SCQF Level 8
SCQF Level 7
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Childhood Practice Award -

• Other possibilities HND

SCQF Level 9
SCQF Level 8
SCQF Level 7