Working it out: developing the children's sector workforce, by Childrenin Scotland, calls for the development of a new graduate-levelqualification, based on a broad understanding of children and therelationships to others and their community.
In European countries the term 'pedagogy' has a wider meaning,'encompassing not only children's educational needs but their social andemotional development', the report said. In Denmark pedagogues work withpeople of all ages in education, social services and health, and Swedenhas a single framework for those working with children from the age of18 months to 18.
The report said that reforming the children's workforce is vital for itto operate in a unified way with the child at the centre.
'The Scottish pedagogue would not replace specialist education, butenable common modules to be added to initial education acrossprofessions. It would also offer a qualification for less well-qualifiedand undervalued groups within the children's sector workforce, from theearly years through to youth and community groups.'
Children in Scotland chief executive Bronwen Cohen told Nursery Worldthat the model would 'upskill' the early years workforce. 'If you'relooking at workforce reform, a lot of different groups need more of acareer structure. The Scottish pedagogue would help people move betweenjobs.'
Scottish pedagogues and assistant pedagogues would work in provision inearly years services, school-age childcare, residential childcare, playand youth services, family daycare, foster care, family supportservices, and in the classroom where pedagogues would work as teachingassistants.
In the report, Ms Cohen wrote, 'The provision could be significantlyimproved by having a consistently well-qualified workforce. These arethe services seen as having a major contribution in deliveringgovernment aspirations for often very disadvantaged groups of children.Enhancing their contribution could do more to "get it right for everychild" than any number of government strategies.'
Further information:
'Working it out: developing the children's sector workforce' costs10.99 (16.99 for non-members) fromwww.childreninscotland.org.uk/publications
Developing the workforce
A proposed Scottish pedagogue model for developing key areas of thechildren's sector workforce:
- Adopt Scottish pedagogy model as basis for workforce reform
- Develop a new group of pedagogues trained at graduate or equivalentlevel and assistants trained to Scottish Credit and QualificationFramework's level seven
- Pedagogues and assistants would work in all services for children andyoung people from birth to 18, including pre-school services, school-agechildcare, play, youth services, family support and with teachers inschools
- All those working with children, including teachers, health and socialworkers, to receive common grounding in Scottish pedagogical theory andpractice.