Early years experts are urging the Government to give its whole-hearted backing to the newly launched guidance for childcarers working with the under-threes by actively supporting its dissemination and implementation.
Birth to Three Matters: A framework to support children in their earliest years was produced by Professor Lesley Abbott and a team at the Institute of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University to provide support, information and guidance for practitioners caring for babies and children up to three years old in England.
Practitioners, academics and commentators who have seen the framework have given it a very warm welcome. But they expressed dismay at how low-key its launch was and called for tangible and positive support from the Government for distribution and training.
During an interview on the Radio 4 programme 'Woman's Hour' on the eve of the launch, early years minister Catherine Ashton failed to mention the framework. Searches of the Department for Education and Skills internet website in the days following the launch drew a blank.
The pack, consisting of an introductory booklet, an A3 poster, 16 laminated cards, a video and a CD-Rom, was funded by the newly created Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare unit at the DfES. There is some speculation that in the upheaval surrounding the formation of the new unit, officials lost sight of the need to plan a promotional campaign to coincide with publication of the framework.
Packs were given to 800 delegates attending the recent National Childminding Association conference. The NCMA's training and quality assurance manager Sue Griffin says, 'When people looked at it, they said how much they liked it. One person said she thought it was really beautiful.'
But she worries that childcarers may not know what the framework is or who it is from when it arrives, and ignore it. 'My biggest concern is the way in which it is going to be distributed. I hope it is going to go out with a clear, introductory letter saying we are delighted to send you this free resource,' says Ms Griffin.
'The DfES is not mentioned at all (on the pack). It does say Sure Start, but a lot of people, even in the early years sector, do not know what Sure Start is. There are some comments in the introductory booklet from Baroness Ashton. It does not say she is a Government minister, so people could think she was chief executive of the publishers or something.'
Professor Abbott and the project team are planning a series of nine dissemination conferences around England starting in January. Early years consultant Ann Langston, a full-time member of the team and a major contributor to the framework, says, 'Eight of the conferences will be based on the Ofsted regions and we are inviting representatives from the local EYDCPS to attend. The other conference, in London, will be for early years organisations.'
The conferences will help publicise the framework and the project team will build on that by offering training for practitioners and trainers. Ms Langston says, 'As an early years consultant, that is something I will want to be involved in. But the pack is intended to stand on its own. It is very easy to use and is not some complex ringbinder.'
However, Joan Norris, director of High Scope UK, warns that there is a great gulf to overcome between dissemination and effective implementation.
'This is just the beginning of the process. We know from our courses and from the feedback from them that it is one thing to attend and have the theory and the input, and it is another thing to go back and talk about it and embed it into your practice. You have to keep revisiting it. Training in the workplace is about your commitment to quality.'
She wants to see Government funding for a sustained, rolling programme of training around the framework to take account of the high staff turnover rates in the sector. 'Otherwise, all that has gone into this good piece of work could be wasted if we do not hook it into the training process.'
Peter Elfer, senior lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at Roehampton University of Surrey, points out that the national framework offers guidance and support to people working with children who 'are learning faster than at any other stage of the life cycle'. It is needed, he says, because while there are some 'brilliant' locally produced programmes, such as the 'Bristol Standard for Birth to Three Year Olds' launched by the Bristol Partnership, and Key Times, a collaborative project between Camden EYDCP and North London University, 'some others are very poor. Some are terribly boring.'
Mr Elfer complains that the weaker programmes fail to engage practitioners because they do not manage to convey the excitement of a baby's exploration of life and desire to make relationships. 'They will say something like "the baby is beginning to move", which is so dull and does not explain the intensity with which a baby focuses on its mother's face and stretches out to reach that exciting red rattle she is waving.'
Joan Norris adds, 'Nurseries can find it difficult to recruit staff for the baby room. People will say, "I don't like working with babies because nothing happens. They don't do anything." But when you think about the change from birth to one year, it is staggering. You need to be alert to it. You need to know what you are looking at and what you are looking for.'
Sally Jaeckle, co-ordinator for the Bristol early years support team, says practitioners 'have been crying out' for more advice and information on working with the under-threes. 'They want their work to be celebrated, and they want extra support and guidance. It does not matter that you work in different settings and can access different resources, if you share the same ethos and the same aspiration that you want to move your practice forward.'
Ann Langston says, 'When people look at it, they will find it does not say this is another thing for you to do, but here is another thing to think about. What we hope is that it is informative without being too prescriptive. The intention is to support practitioners and we have worked really hard to make it accessible to all.'
Sue Griffin spoke to delegates once they returned home after the NCMA conference and had studied the packs. 'People enjoyed looking at it and commented on its visual impact. People see it is going to be useful for those who are experienced as well as providing a worthwhile introduction for those new to looking after babies.'
Childminder Jackie Deacon is impressed by the framework. 'I think it is really good and well laid out. I think it is going to be very useful. You need to look at the CD-Rom, and I think they need to provide a hard copy to people who haven't got a computer.'
Julia Manning-Morton, senior lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at the University of North London, who co-wrote Key Times with early years inspector Maggie Thorp, also served on the framework working party. She says, 'Practitioners and organisers need to think this is the base line. It is the starting point for discussions about how to improve their practice.'
Further information
* Birth to Three Matters: A framework to support children in their earliest years, funded by the Department for Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare, should be sent to all registered childminders, daycare nurseries, Early Excellence and Sure Start centres, early years partnerships and Ofsted inspectors by Christmas. Practitioners can also get the guidance pack free by phoning 0845 6022260.
New series
* Nursery World will be publishing an introduction to the framework by Lesley Abbott in a forthcoming issue. A series on the framework will appear in the New Year.