New competencies to benchmark Early Childhood Studies degree qualifications will be launched in September

Twenty-five years after its launch, the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN), has introduced a new framework of Early Childhood Studies degree qualifications starting in September.  The development of Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies was led by Dr Eunice Lumsden, Head of Early Years at the University of Northampton.

The graduate level practitioner will be rolled out for students studying Early Childhood Studies programmes at universities across the UK from September 2018, with these highly skilled graduates entering the work force in three years’ time.

The practitioner competencies focus heavily on the application the academic elements of degree programmes in placements. Students will meet the nine competencies through assessed observations of practice, practice-based tasks and academic assessment.

Dr Eunice Lumsden, Head of Early Years at the University of Northampton, and author of the new competencies, said: “The introduction of the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner competencies, as an optional route in degree programmes, is a timely and important development for the sector.

“This enhanced focus on the development of skills and application within an early years settings, will make this new wave of early years practitioners highly employable, at Early Career Early Childhood Graduate level, with the skills in place to better advocate for, and support, young children and their families. These competencies are an important step towards building a graduate-led workforce, ready to face the challenges of the sector.”

Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies June 2018.