Tackling inequities through theprofessionalization of ECEC: workforce preparation
Dr. Jan Peeters
Centre for Innovation in the Early Years
Ghent University
Workforce preparation (ISCED 5 or higher) acrossEuropean countries (Oberhuemer, et al., 2010)
• Early childhood professional (0 to 6) Latvia, Slovenia, Sweden, New-Zealand,
• Pre-primary professional (3 to 6) Belgium, Cyprus, Malta
• Pre-primary and primary professional (3 to 12) France, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Romania
• Social pedagogy professional ( from 0 to 99) Denmark, Luxemburg, Finland
• Professional for child care and parental support programs (France, Belgique, Fl) (0 to 3, out of school and parental support )
EU: tendency towards integration childcare in social pedagogy or education : higher level of qualification, better working conditions (UNESCO, 2010)
• Integration in broader social welfare system: de social pedagog for all ages ( Finland, Denmark)
• Integration in education: teacher (England, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, New-Zealand, Latvia, Slovenia)
Split systems: evolution towards social pedagog for the youngest children (France, Belgium Fl, Luxemburg)
Workforce preparation for 0 to 3: low qualification requirements in split systems
Literature review (CoRe, 2011; Lazzari, et al, 2013)
• Broad consensus among researchers, and international organisations (OECD, UNICEF, EU), that quality of ECE and ultimately the outcomes for children and families and more specific for the disadvantaged, depand onwell-educated, experienced and competent staff.
• Higher levels of initial preparation are associated with
better quality as well as better outcomes for children(Fukkink&Lont, 2007; Sylva et al , 2004)
more stimulating, warm and supportive interactionswith children (OECD, 2006)
Survey on training profiles: what is important for disadvantaged children (Core, 2011)
autonomy of professional
Profiles must be embedded in general equal opportunities
policy
More focus needed on workingwith parents
Invisible (low or unqualified) assistants up to 40/ 50% of the workforce (CoRe, 2011; Van Laere, Peeters, Vandenbroeck,
2012)
Important role towardsparents and childrenespecially for disadvantagedgroups ( bridge function)
Few qualification requirements
Limited access to qualifying in-service training
Focus on pratical caring tasks mayjeopardise holistic pedagogicalapproach
‘Assistants’ or auxiliary staff
• In all countries except Croatia and Italy there are practitioners who ‘assist’ the higher-qualified core practitioner in working directly with children and families
• Estimation: up to 40-50 % of workforce in some EU countries (e.g. Denmark, France, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania)
• Core professionals (qualified bachelor) mostly frommiddle class - assistants mostly from lower SES
Roles and tasks of assistants
• Unitary systems & 3-6 in split systems:
core practitioners: educational profile
assistants: pre-dominantly caring role and sometimes learning or bridging role
• 0-3 in split systems:
core practitioners: caring or paramedical profile
assistants: pre-dominantly caring role, sometimes bridging role
CoRe recommendations towards lower qualifiedassistants
• Pedagogical mentoring
• Learning from practice
• Focus on tackling inequities
Rethinkprofessional
development
• Credits for learning in practice
• No dead end jobsIncrease job
mobility
• Denmark, France, SloveniaInclude assistants
in qualifyingtraining
CoRe recommendations on workforce preparation
• Continous reflection on working withparents who live in poverty:developmentof new pedagogical approaches
Equal and reciprocal relation
theory/practice
• Training of directorsBuild leadership
capacity
• Policies that address entire ECEC system
• Professionalisation is multi-layered
Invest in competent system
Workforce preparation of the teachers: individual competences
• About families, poverty, diversity. Children’srights. Developmental aspects of children froma holistic perspective, strategies learning, communication with children and participation , working with parents and community, …
Knowledge
• Observing children in order to identify needs, planning and implementing wide range of educational projects, documenting children’s progress, creating effective learning environments, analysing needs of local communities, and parents from different origins, enabling open communication to all parents, …
Practices
• Adopting a democratic and inclusive approachthat values diversity , commitment to childwelfare and well-being, Children Rights-basedapproach to ECEC that promotes children’s and families active citizenship, solidarity and lifelonglearning
Values :
Workforce preparation of directors or pedagogical counsellors: Institutional competences:
• Poverty, diversity issues, situated learning, community of practice, reflectiveapproaches, adult learning, , learningorganisations…
Knowledge
• Elaborating a shared pedagogical framework orienting educational work, arrange paid time for planning documenting and review educational work , providing opportunities for joint work, …
Practices
• Democracy and respect for diversity, conceivingECEC as forums for civil engagement thatforsters social cohesion, and as criticallyreflective communities that reciprocally interactwith the changing needs of childres, families and wider society.
Values :
INDIVIDUAL TEACHER
TEAM / INSTITUTION
INTERAGENCY /TRAINING CENTRES/LOCAL GOVERNMENT
NATIONAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONSThe
com
pet
ent
ECEC
sys
tem
(Co
Re,
20
11
; Pe
eter
s, 2
01
3)
INDIVIDUAL TEACHER: Active actor in proces of professionalisation
Initial training: bachelor
Engagement in continuous
training (courses,
study days)
Reflecting onown practice
Professional literature
TEAM / INSTITUTION: common pedagogical approach
Team meetings
Coaching bymentor
Definingquality
together withparents
Developinglearning
community
INTERAGENCY / TRAINING CENTERS / LOCALGOVERNMENT: DIVERSIFIED PD POLICY
Training and intervision of
directors
Start courses fornew teams
Exchange of interesting practice
Peer groups aboutcommon themes
PD resource centres
Collecting PD needs
NATIONAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION: COHERENT POLICY
Quality standards onaccessibility and equal
opportunities
Competence profiles
Self evaluationguidelines
Financial resources for mentoring and
training,
Qualificationrequirements
(bachelor)
Accreditation of continous professional
development and mentoring
Accreditation of centres that offer PD
INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS AND FOUNDATIONS: INNOVATION
Support for equal
rightsapproach Support
forworkingaround
diversityand
poverty
Exchange of interesting
practiceAdvocacy
Innovativeprojects
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
Legal and ethicalframework : Convention
rights of the child
technicalasstance
Focal point to share and develop
Offer support forgovernments to develop
bylaws
Financinginnovative
projects
• Financing: costs of workforce preparation and PD
• Lack of child free hours
• Lack of recognition for mentoring and earlieracquired competences
• Large parts of workforce ECEC is unqualified
• Recurrent preconditions not met:
Staff/child rations
Group size
Working conditions
Continuity of staff
Challenges for many countries
• Urban, M., Vandenbroeck, M., Peeters, J., Lazzari, A., Van Laere, K. (2011) CoRe Competence requirements in Early Childhood Educationand Care. Final Report for European Commission, DG Educationand Culture. Research Documents. www.vbjk.be
• Peeters, J. (2008). The Construction of a new Profession. SWP Amsterdam
• Van Laere, Peeters, Vandenbroeck ( 2012). The education and Care Divide: the role of the early childhood workforce in 15 European countries. European Journal of Education, Vol. 47, No 4.
• Children in Europe, Valuing the workforce . www.vbjk.be
• DECET, ISSA Diversity and Social Inclusion: Exploring Competences for Professional practice in ECEC. http://www.decet.org/
Thank you for your
attention
Top Related