Early Years Workforce Commission launches Employee Survey and Call for Evidence

The Early Years Workforce Commission have today launched an employee survey and Call for Evidence for people working across the early years sector. 

The survey and Call for Evidence are primarily concerned with two long-established challenges: Training and CPD, and Recruitment and Retention. However, there are further opportunities for employees to share their thoughts on how these issues have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic within the Survey.

Through the survey, the Commission hope to gain the perspective of those working ‘on the ground’ and understand, from their perspective, what needs to be achieved to ensure the sector can continue to provide high-quality childcare and early years support for children and families across the country.

This survey aims to gather views from a wide intersection of the workforce from across the sector, covering a range of geographical areas across England and a variety of setting sizes.

The Commission is encouraging responses from workers within different types of early years provisions, including childminders, those in PVI nurseries, LA Nurseries and much more. Those in different roles within the sector, including staff with a wide range of experience, including newly qualified staff, setting managers and specialist staff, are encouraged to respond.

The Commission are also asking organisations, individuals and businesses to respond to a Call for Evidence which is seeking to establish what must be done now to ensure the sustainability of the sector, particularly in such a challenging time.

Responses to the Commission’s research will inform future reports, and recommendations, so it is vital that there are a broad range of respondents.

The survey can be accessed online here, and the Call for Evidence can be accessed online here, with the submission window closing at 6pm on 25^th September 

Speaking on behalf of the Early Years Workforce Commission, as they launch an Employee Survey and Call for Evidence Liz Bayram, Chief Executive of PACEY, said:

“Like many other sectors, early years and childcare has been hugely impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. The virus has also compound long-standing challenges and brought into sharp focus the need for  evidence-based solutions that finally rectify the under-valuing and under-funding of the vital support childminders, nurseries and pre-schools provide to children and families every day. We believe that an effective workforce strategy is crucial to help underpin the long-term sustainability of the sector and maintain the high quality of early education our youngest children deserve.

“We intend to publish a solutions-focused plan, with key recommendations for governments and others, to support the early years workforce be recognised as the highly professional, talented and committed individuals they are. Ultimately, we want to ensure the long-term sustainability of this sector. We can only do this if our recommendations are based on a wide range of experiences, ideas and thoughts from people and organisations across the sector. So today we are urging everyone who cares about early education to get involved and share their ideas and experiences.”

Against a backdrop of historic funding challenges and other well-documented barriers facing the sector, the impacts of COVID-19 are being felt by many early years staff and settings. The overarching goals of the Early Years Workforce Commission is to:

• Support the sector to identify, and recover from, the impacts of COVID-19
• Promote wider recognition of the importance of the early years sector and its staff
• Identify ways the sector can offer more rewarding and attractive career opportunities, which reflect the intrinsic role the sector plays in supporting the economy and national workforce
• Establish ways to boost recruitment and safeguard job retention within the sector

The Commission’s steering group is made up of representatives from key organisations including CACHE, the leading awarding organisation for early years and childcare qualifications; leading provider of independent research and intelligence for the early years sector CEEDA; membership bodies Early Education, The Early Years Alliance, PACEY, TACTYC and NDNA, nursery group, the London Early Years Foundation; research organisation, the Education Policy Institute, education charity the Sutton Trust and Voice, The union for education professionals.