Q What is the Transformation Fund?
A The Transformation Fund is worth 250m. It was made available from April this year and will last until August 2008. It consists of four elements:
* A recruitment incentive of 3,000 in each year for private, voluntary and independent (PVI) full daycare settings to take on a graduate
* A quality premium of 5,000. This is only available to settings already employing someone with a Level 5 or 6 qualification, though the premium can be spent on training for other staff too
* Money for training staff to Level 3 and above
* Funds for disability and special educational needs training.
Q How much money does that work out at for each setting?
A The funding is limited to one graduate recruitment incentive and one quality premium per setting, per year. This will be the 3,000 plus 5,000, and London weighting, if applicable. Providers will be funded via their local authority (LA).
Q How were local authority Transformation Fund allocations calculated?
A Allocations to authorities were based on the number of under-fives in the area with an additional weighting based on disadvantage and whether they are based in London. The allocations for 2007-08 are provisional and are being reviewed this autumn, taking account of feedback from LAs.
Q How will the fund be used over each of the years?
A It will be up to LAs to decide how the money is spent in line with priorities set out in their children and young people action plans.
However, the DfES wants the highest priority to be given to the recruitment incentive and quality premium standards, to raise professional standards in PVI settings.
Many authorities recognise that fulfilling the Government's goal of getting a graduate into every setting by 2015 is a long-term aspiration, and they will want to use much of their allocation to boost qualifications from Level 3 upwards.
Q Will nurseries have to provide business plans for LAs in order to qualify for the funding?
A This is not necessary. Providers who apply successfully for the fund effectively enter into a contract with their local authority and are expected to meet certain conditions as set out in the guidance. For example, they will commit to having an Early Years Professional (EYP - see below) in place within two years and agree that at least half of the quality premium will be spent on staff development. LAs are expected to confirm that providers are meeting conditions and, if they find this is not the case, they can stop the payments.
Q Have LAs already started spending the money?
A It is expected that authorities will start to distribute the Fund this autumn as phase one of the EYP programme rolls out. However, individuals should check with their local authority to find out the exact state of play.
Q Are children's centres and other maintained or school-based settings eligible for the Fund?
A One of the fund's key aims is to move towards parity between the maintained and PVI sectors by boosting the qualifications of early years staff in the latter to create a high-quality workforce.
The Transformation Fund should not duplicate or substitute existing funding for staff development. Children's centres are, therefore, not eligible for the local authority managed elements of the fund since provision for them is already made in the General Sure Start Grant. However, they will be able to benefit from support for staff undertaking training towards EYP status, including those who currently hold qualified teacher status.
Q Do providers have to be rated at least 'satisfactory' to qualify for the fund? What if they have not been rated yet, or are rated 'unsatisfactory'
after receiving Transformation Fund support?
A Providers that have not received an Ofsted rating are eligible to apply for the Fund at the discretion of their local authority. Where there are concerns about providers which have yet to be rated, LAs may wait for the Ofsted assessment result before considering applications for the quality premium or recruitment incentive. If a provider receives an unsatisfactory rating after receiving Fund money, the LA will normally cease payments.
Q What is an Early Years Professional?
A The EYP is an individual who will be responsible for leading and managing play, care and learning within a setting. In some instances, these individuals will have a wider management role. The development of the EYP has been developed to complement the delivery of the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which covers children's development and learning experiences from birth to five years old.
Q Who can apply for EYP status?
A Individuals with a wide range of experience and qualifications working in a range of settings and roles, as well as new recruits, are potential candidates for EYP status. To qualify for the initial training pathways, candidates must have a degree or an Early Years Foundation degree. Further validation pathways for those at a lower level will be created in the future. In considering which is the most appropriate pathway, individuals and training providers will wish to look at both the candidate's experience and level of qualifications.
Q What are the pathways to EYP status?
A The CWDC has identified four pathways:
* three months part-time validation pathway for those close to demonstrating the standards
* six months part-time extended professional development pathway
* 15 months part-time extended professional development pathway
* full training pathway lasting 12 months, full-time Q What decisions have been made about the qualifications and skills of the EYP role?
A The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has produced draft standards which outline the skills and qualifications needed for the EYP's role. The standards be tested in the pilot phase of EYP training and assessment. According to the standards, the EYP has to set an example by valuing children and practice highly.
Effective communication is seen as key to establishing respectful, trusting relationships with children and families, and the EYP must work in partnership with them to improve outcomes in line with Every Child Matters.
Along with using and promoting safe working practices, EYPs must be able to lead a team of colleagues who work under their supervision in the setting.
The role of the EYP is intended to be closely linked with the delivery of the new EYFS. The CWDC believes that over time only those with EYP status should lead the delivery of the EYFS.
In line with this, candidates will have to:
* understand the principles and values essential to working with children and young people
* understand their role as a worker
* understand health and safety requirements
* understand the development of children and young people
* safeguard children (keep them safe from harm)
* develop themselves Q When will the first EYPs be qualified and when will nurseries have to start hiring them?
A The pilot programme of training has just rolled out and the first EYP status accreditations will be conferred in January next year. The CWDC reports that there are 600 places during the first phase. A more general roll-out of training for EYP status will begin in January 2007 through 40 higher education institutions and other training providers.
Nurseries will be in a position to employ EYPs from the start of 2007.
Q How is the Transformation Fund being used to train EYPs?
A The CWDC has been awarded 51.8m from the Fund to cover the cost of developing training to EYP status. This support includes course fees, bursaries and mentoring and is available to candidates working in full daycare settings and children's centres.
Q How can I apply to the CWDC for Transformation Fund money?
A CWDC support for candidates will be administered by the training providers carrying out training and assessment for EYPs. These providers will pass on funding to settings/candidates to cover bursaries, supply cover and the cost of mentoring support.
Q Does the sector think the money will be enough?
A Some anxiety over cost is fuelled by the knowledge that the Transformation Fund is not yet secure and will depend on the outcome of the 2007 comprehensive spending review.
Sustainability is a key issue. There is a danger that nurseries receiving the recruitment incentive will still struggle to pay the costs of advertising, developing and training a graduate, especially if an individual leaves and has to be replaced.
The National Day Nurseries Association has also questioned how nurseries who are using some of the allocated quality premium to boost staff wages will be able to demonstrate that this has supported retention of staff.
There are fears that the graduates programme will cease to be viable when the Transformation Fund ends.
Further information
www.ecm.org.uk (Every Child Matters)
www.cwdcouncil.org.uk (Children's Workforce Development Council)
www.dfes.org (Department for Education and Skills)