In order for the free entitlement to achieve its aim of giving all eligible two-year-olds the best possible start, practitioners need to be capable of high-quality, reflective practice.
This means they will need to review and update their skills and knowledge, whether through pursuing formal qualifications or through regular continuing professional development (CPD) to deliver effective early learning and care.
How nurseries and other settings go about accessing training will vary greatly depending on which local authority they live in. Some local authorities have developed comprehensive training packages while others are offering CPD that is specific to the programme.
Money for training is available through the trajectory funding stream of the 2013-2014 local authority allocations, but there are no hard and fast rules about how much is spent, or where it is spent.
Some providers will find they are able to access funding to spend with training companies of their own choice, while those in other areas may be offered training organised by the local authority itself. At the very least, local authorities have a responsibility to signpost settings to whatever support they may need, and it is strongly recommended that the latter take a pro-active approach.
James Hempsall, national support director of Achieving Two-Year-Olds, and director of Hempsall's, advises that settings will benefit from carefully considering the essential characteristics of two-year-olds and taking a detailed look at child development.
'They need to think about offering a special approach to two-year-olds, differentiating their approaches from those used for three- and four-year-olds through appropriate environments and learning activities,' he says.
'Some - not all - two-year-olds will be coming from vulnerable families. Where this is the case, nurseries should access training for working with vulnerable families.'
It is also important to undertake a skills audit in the setting and identify specific skills needed to deliver good quality provision for this age group.
Mr Hempsall says, 'Then the team can self-assess against these skills and ways of closing the gaps in skills can be decided on. These could include peer-to-peer support, leadership and management, online training, reading or attending training.'
UPDATING POLICIES
When Little People Pre-school in Poole, Dorset, decided to take on the two-year-old offer, manager Annette White thought carefully about what support her staff, who had previously worked with children from two-and-a-half, would need.
'I decided that it was mainly the basics such as observations and recording,' she says. 'Poole Borough Council put on training for all our staff to cover these areas and aspects such as suitable resources and working with parents. The staff realised that they knew most of this but it was very reassuring and helped us realise that our current practice is correct.'
The training led Ms White to update nappy changing policies and ensure all staff were trained in first aid, with the expectation that they will have more 'bumps and bruises in the setting' with extra two-year-olds present.
Meanwhile, Wally's Day Nursery in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, was part of a pilot project for funded two-year-old places in 2010. Since then, demand has climbed and Ms White has now created a new 16-place unit specifically for this age group.
'It is not just the children but the families behind them that need the support, so that is what we identified as a training need,' says EYP and deputy Louise Day. 'Staff undertook a Level 4 unit on working with vulnerable children and families because many of us had not worked with this age bracket before. You can think that you're looking after the children but you're also supporting single parents and families who are struggling and need help.'
She advises holding back some of the setting's training budget until practitioners get to know their new families' individual circumstances. 'It is great to do training, but if you don't know the specific needs of your target market then it may be of little use in practice,' she explains.
TAILORED TO CHILDMINDERS
Many local authorities have identified expanding the childminding sector as a key strategy for ensuring there is adequate two-year-old provision. However, the Professional Association of Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) warns that, despite recent research among members that found over a third were interested in delivering the new free entitlement, many local authorities are generally reducing training for childminders.
PACEY joint chief executive Liz Bayram says, 'There are standard training requirements for all childminders who register, including attending an introductory course. Where local authorities are targeting childminders, they are developing packages of support.'
Alongside this, PACEY has a range of CPD and training it offers free to all its members, covering care for two-year-olds and supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Ms Bayram emphasises how the early learning for two-year-olds trials (DfE, June 2013) highlighted good practice in offering training for childminders in ten trial local authorities by offering:
- flexible ways of training such as Saturday meetings, induction and support evenings, online tools and support
- one-to-one support and help with writing action plans to enable childminders to make improvements and expand
- opportunities to discuss ideas with colleagues from a variety of settings during face-to-face training.
Case studies include children's centres in Greenwich hosting Saturday meetings, training and sessions for childminders at a model 'classroom' with a focus on practical and cost-effective approaches to resources for supporting age-appropriate development and the Kent early years team supporting childminders to improve their practice by offering access to a centrally managed 'treasure chest library'.
In Brent, the majority of training has involved both childminders and nursery practitioners, with the aim of having a quarter of childminders trained to its own quality standard by December 2013.
Jane Stewart, workforce development officer at Brent Council, says, 'So far, interest has been high among childminders and nursery practitioners and generally they are enthusiastic about improving their skills and qualifications.
'Embedding strong principles about enabling environments and positive relationships for settings taking on two-year-olds continues to be a priority.
WHAT'S ON OFFER
Let's look at ... EYFS Progress Checks, NDNA
Distance learning training on the EYFS Progress Checks for two-year-olds. Includes the requirements under the EYFS, what the checks should cover, tools available and how to engage parents in them.
www.ndna.org.uk/quality-training-careers
Progress Check workshop, NCB
The organisation is currently developing a half-day workshop to support practitioners in delivering the Progress Check at two. Send expressions of interest to ecuadmin@ncb.org.uk.
Quality provision for two-year-olds: a partnership approach, NCB
Designed to support practitioners in their work with two-year-olds
Business support training for the two-year-old offer, Family and Childcare Trust
Providers look at the two-year-old offer in a business context, including financial planning partnership working.
collette@familyandchildcaretrust.org
Meeting the needs of two-year-olds, Family and Childcare Trust
Including working with vulnerable families and disabled children and supporting speech and language development.
collette@familyandchildcaretrust.org
Supporting two-year-olds in the EYFS, NDNA
Distance learning designed to equip practitioners with the knowledge, understanding and skills to successfully support two-year-olds' development.
www.ndna.org.uk/quality-training-careers
PEAL (Parents Early Years and Learning) training, Early Childhood Unit, NCB
How to support parents' engagement in their children's learning to make a difference to children's lives and outcomes.
Making it REAL (Raising Early Achievement in Literacy) training, Early Childhood Unit, NCB
Enabling practitioners to use the REAL evidence-based approach that reaches out to parents and families, building confidence and knowledge to support the early home learning environment and positively impacting on children's outcomes and family literacy practice.
*FREE training days available
Early Education Associates, Early Education
This group of early childhood education specialists supports practitioners in early years settings. Their approach draws on national and international research evidence.
www.early-education.org.uk/training-and-associates
Quality for two-year-olds regional seminars, 4Children
Seminars on the technicalities of delivering quality provision and meeting the challenge of the support that a two-year-old will need compared to a three- or four-year-old.
Working With Two-Year-Olds workshops, Early Years Matters
Includes meeting the needs of two-year-olds in the EYFS, developing an environment that supports two-year-olds and practical strategies for managing the learning and behaviour of two-year-olds.
Patterns of Care, Pre-school Learning Alliance
This modular workshop is for anybody working with two-year-olds. Topics covered include brain development, key person approach, attachment theory, why the environment is different to that for three-year-olds, age-related equipment and resources and observations and planning for the children using the Possible Lines of Direction method.
Apprentice Bursary Scheme
This scheme aims to secure higher-qualified entrants to the workforce with eligible apprentices working in settings delivering early learning places for two-year-olds able to apply for a bursary of £1,500 plus £300 towards additional training. Interested employers should complete a brief online form. Applications will be open from September.