EYPS

[singlewiththree]

Is the Early Years Professional Status worth doing? Does anyone here have it?

[sarah707]

i keep looking at it and thinking about it.

I have decided that it's not for me at the moment.

I want to keep childminding and it's not going to get me extra £ per hour...

If I wanted to work somewhere else in a different role I might consider it.

I'm not sure how well it's tailored for cms who work alone either. There's a lot of days off I believe.

Not sure... but not for me :D

[The Juggler]

PM David Sheppard hon. Also think there might be one or two others on here that have it.

The UK is setting up local and regional EYPS networks so if you are continuing childminding that would give you input maybe into structure of minding networks etc if they valued your opinion and my understanding is the network members have access to fantastic exclusive training, visits to centres of excellence like the Penn Green family centre etc.

I believe you get paid to do it too!

[venus89]

I actually just came on here to ask an EYPS question...... I got the pack through this mornig from the nearest Uni which does it telling me more about what it entails.

I'm planning to go for it because I don't want to childmind forever. It gives the Early Years equivalent of QTS and every early years setting which involves some form of teaching (eg nurseries, preschools, lots of children's centres etc) is soon going to have to employ a person with EYPS. I've nearly finished my DHC and already have a degree which has elements of child development studies in.

If you do it you'll be funded to do so and will get release fees too. Also the info says that andidates successfully completing the full time one year pathway will yeat a £5000 bursary.....

I guess the answer is, if it's right for you - do you want to stay childminding? If so, as Sarah says, there's no huge benefit (other than personal achievement) in doing it - though having said that nor is there any benefit in taking the degree, for example, if you're planning to stay where you are. However personally I need to be doing something that keeps my brain ticking whilst I'm childminding, that validates it for me.

My question, which I'm hoping somebody can answer, is would I be able to do it if I'm not a support childminder? I'm a network minder and run the local CM group but I do not regularly support, manage or influence the practice of other early years professionals......

[wellybelly]

I'm doing the foundation degree which progesses onto it. In September 2011 I will be doing the EYPS and the third year of the BA Hon's in Early Childhood studies. We were advised to do both as if there was a change in government or money ran out no more would be pumped into EYPS.

I am hoping to get it but then progress onto teaching. There is no payscale linked to EYPS and settings have no obligation to even give you a promotion if thats what you want to do in the future. I have spoken to others who have achieved this and they are part of a network but that is about it.

I'm getting it for my CV and to hopefully make me more employable.

[wellybelly]

Ohhh by the way even though the course is paid for, I have not yet heard of any childminders with EYPS getting any bonus or payout.

[wellybelly]

I actually just came on here to ask an EYPS question...... I got the pack through this mornig from the nearest Uni which does it telling me more about what it entails.

I'm planning to go for it because I don't want to childmind forever. It gives the Early Years equivalent of QTS and every early years setting which involves some form of teaching (eg nurseries, preschools, lots of children's centres etc) is soon going to have to employ a person with EYPS. I've nearly finished my DHC and already have a degree which has elements of child development studies in.

If you do it you'll be funded to do so and will get release fees too. Also the info says that andidates successfully completing the full time one year pathway will yeat a £5000 bursary.....

I guess the answer is, if it's right for you - do you want to stay childminding? If so, as Sarah says, there's no huge benefit (other than personal achievement) in doing it - though having said that nor is there any benefit in taking the degree, for example, if you're planning to stay where you are. However personally I need to be doing something that keeps my brain ticking whilst I'm childminding, that validates it for me.

My question, which I'm hoping somebody can answer, is would I be able to do it if I'm not a support childminder? I'm a network minder and run the local CM group but I do not regularly support, manage or influence the practice of other early years professionals......

I'm on the long pathway to EYPS and only had a level 3 qualification - no support minder status.

[Pipsqueak]

I am looking to head down that route.
Even considering going to the EYPs thingy at Pen Green in March

[Polly2]

Quick question...what's the difference between a BA hons and EYPS? Which is better?

[The Juggler]

I actually just came on here to ask an EYPS question...... I got the pack through this mornig from the nearest Uni which does it telling me more about what it entails.

I'm planning to go for it because I don't want to childmind forever. It gives the Early Years equivalent of QTS and every early years setting which involves some form of teaching (eg nurseries, preschools, lots of children's centres etc) is soon going to have to employ a person with EYPS. I've nearly finished my DHC and already have a degree which has elements of child development studies in.

If you do it you'll be funded to do so and will get release fees too. Also the info says that andidates successfully completing the full time one year pathway will yeat a £5000 bursary.....

I guess the answer is, if it's right for you - do you want to stay childminding? If so, as Sarah says, there's no huge benefit (other than personal achievement) in doing it - though having said that nor is there any benefit in taking the degree, for example, if you're planning to stay where you are. However personally I need to be doing something that keeps my brain ticking whilst I'm childminding, that validates it for me.

My question, which I'm hoping somebody can answer, is would I be able to do it if I'm not a support childminder? I'm a network minder and run the local CM group but I do not regularly support, manage or influence the practice of other early years professionals......

I would say if you are on the network and running the local CM group you probably have a huge amount of indirect influence already over that group. You would probably, for EYPS just need to evidence what you do and how you do it. Maybe you could use the group to run 'informal' sessions for the other CM's on different topics.

[The Juggler]

I am looking to head down that route.
Even considering going to the EYPs thingy at Pen Green in March

is Penn Green near you, wow! I'd love to go there for training.

[manjay]

BA hons and EYPS? Which is better?

Only one way to find out!!!! Fight!!!! :blush: Sorry, been watching too much Harry Hill:D

EYPS is not available in Wales chick!!! You will just have to stick with me and get that BA Hons:thumbsup:

[manjay]

is Penn Green near you, wow! I'd love to go there for training.

I would like to go there for a nosey too:rolleyes:

[Pipsqueak]

Might be worth seeing if you LA will fund you to go if you are interested in EYPs

My friend and I are looking to go on the Saturday - hopefully and we have been offered funding to go (just would have to pay travel)
Sadly its no-where near me - at least 3hrs away

[The Juggler]

wow! Margy Whalley is speaking?

There is no way I can make that date (our hand in for dissertation is April) but might badger early years team and see if I can get on a later date. I feel that is the sort of thing they are sending the EYPS network membes on though so might be out of luck!

Thanks for sharing this Pip. If you do go, let us know how it was.

x

[Polly2]

Only one way to find out!!!! Fight!!!! :blush: Sorry, been watching too much Harry Hill:D

EYPS is not available in Wales chick!!! You will just have to stick with me and get that BA Hons:thumbsup:


hhhmmmm thats not fair :rolleyes: oh well you will have to put up with me bit longer then :D

[tammys-tots]

Is the Early Years Professional Status worth doing? Does anyone here have it?

Hi, i am on the 2nd level of the foundation degree OU. I have looked into it. Always getting emails from Derby uni. However not considering it yet until next year need to finish this first. Also i think you need maths and english GCSES so would have to do that first. But 5000 sounds nice lol

[Bendalina]

I have an interview at local uni in couple of weeks to identify which pathway I'd suit. I am doing it so I can get some sort of professional recognition. I am passionate about childminding and hope that achieving this I can also promote childminding in this town because I feel at the moment we are under rated mostly by other eyfs professionals. Even when I rang the uni to enquire about the course I was told childminders struggle with the EYPS. Hope I get to prove them wrong. :thumbsup:

[Nadine Beazley]

The reason childminders are being underated is that those who do the EYPS leave childminding to go onto other jobs. Surely this is like saying 'childminding was only a stop gap and now I'm going to do a much better job'!. The EYPS is not siutable for childminders in a home setting. What is wrong with being a childminder without the EYPS? Are those childminders who are content to love, care and bring up their mindees as a parent would not good enough without the EYPS or the Foundation Degree????

Sorry, rant over. It just makes me mad that those people who have the EYPS do not stay childminders!!!!

Nadine x

[green puppy]

The reason childminders are being underated is that those who do the EYPS leave childminding to go onto other jobs. Surely this is like saying 'childminding was only a stop gap and now I'm going to do a much better job'!. The EYPS is not siutable for childminders in a home setting. What is wrong with being a childminder without the EYPS? Are those childminders who are content to love, care and bring up their mindees as a parent would not good enough without the EYPS or the Foundation Degree????

Sorry, rant over. It just makes me mad that those people who have the EYPS do not stay childminders!!!!

Nadine x

Childminders are under rated because many people lack knowledge of what we actually have to do, it has nothing to do with cm's wanting to gain the early years professional status! Part of the reason that I chose childminding was to be able to gain qualifications whilst working. I always wanted to work in childcare but after having my dd I couldn't afford to go back to a collage and not work and because I had no qualifications I couldn't get a job in a setting. It doesn't make me a bad cm for wanting to better myself, I am currently finishing my nvq 3 and will then be doing the foundation degree after that. I love childminding but sometimes working circumstances change as do personal situations, and I want to be sure that I have qualifications under my belt to further my career in a different area of childcare if I choose to.

[Pipsqueak]

The reason childminders are being underated is that those who do the EYPS leave childminding to go onto other jobs. Surely this is like saying 'childminding was only a stop gap and now I'm going to do a much better job'!. The EYPS is not siutable for childminders in a home setting. What is wrong with being a childminder without the EYPS? Are those childminders who are content to love, care and bring up their mindees as a parent would not good enough without the EYPS or the Foundation Degree????

Sorry, rant over. It just makes me mad that those people who have the EYPS do not stay childminders!!!!

Nadine x

EYPS is perfectly adaptable to a childminding setting but to really reach out is to disseminate good practice to other childminders by supporting, meeting with, getting along to groups, running groups perhaps, being on the network etc etc.
An EYPS childminder is perfectly placed to build links with other settings and professionals on behalf of all their colleagues. Thing is, I already do everything that an EYP does - I am on the network, potential accrediatation at some point, am a support minder for new and established minders in two areas across town and I liase with three childrens centres and the staff from the receptionist up to the managers, I also liase with 4 CDO's and two senior EY advisory staff on behalf of myself and colleagues, I collect sufficiency information on behalf of FIS, I lead good practice sessions and run 2 drop ins and a third occasionally. So busy busy but because I haven't got that status - I feel that other EYP's and professionals don't take me seriously.

there are a couple of minders on here who have EYPS.
I have my FD - as do several others on here (or studying towards) and I can only speak for myself but i intend to carry on minding for a few more years yet. I am just going into my third year BA Hons (as a few others are studying or already obtained).

I think the rationale though is if you have these qualifications - seriously a few years down the line are you really going to turn down the chance of some serious money in a lot less hectic/stressful job (as opposed to having to run a whole business).
For me, I veer between I love being my own boss, listening to my friends who work/manage/run nurseries could I really work with other people, I love the job that I do and I can see the difference or shall I get a job that pays loads more, less hours, less hassle........... Childminding keeps winning out for now.
Perhaps there should be case for NCMA saying, ok we want EYPS childminders lets see what we can to keep them and lead good practice.

[The Juggler]

I agree with Pip, I would like to do something where I continue working with childminders but leading practice, after all that's what EYP's are suppposed to do.

It's not like you would abandon childminding all together. Managing a children's centre and making provision for CM's who attend and supporting them is important where a local authority has no network lead by a CDO. I'd like to become a CDO. Our CDO has no CM background at all:(

[sarah707]

Just to draw your attention to this thread if you are considering Eyps guys! :D

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=63114

[Pipsqueak]

I agree with Pip, I would like to do something where I continue working with childminders but leading practice, after all that's what EYP's are suppposed to do.

It's not like you would abandon childminding all together. Managing a children's centre and making provision for CM's who attend and supporting them is important where a local authority has no network lead by a CDO. I'd like to become a CDO. Our CDO has no CM background at all:(

Jugs, I have been looking at a CDO role too......:D

[The Juggler]

Jugs, I have been looking at a CDO role too......:D

I would love to do it Pip. Just a shame these seem to be the roles they will be scrapping/freezing in the spending cuts. We just took on a new DO last year (Degree, EYP) to work part with nurseries and part with CM's. The EY team Manager tried to get me to apply but I was doing my third year and attempting to set up a network where none had existed for 3 years, whilst studying my third year would have been too much for me and my family life (and devastatign to waste the energy then not get the job:rolleyes: )

New DO is fab though still - amazing actually shame she is not CM dedicated and most of her time is spent with nurseries) but still she has no CM background and is only on a years' contract and we are still no nearer a network being set up so it aint gonna happen before she leaves:( The CDO who is left is the one who is, for want of a better word - pants!!!

You know you are doing a CDO's role already Pip with your sessions. But good luck to us, hopefully they will let us loose oficially one day and we can do some damage to the crap practice out there with a bit of authority behind us. for now it'll have to be through the CM drop in sessions. If I ran a session saying it was a best practice session, most of our old school local CM's would run a mile and not come - so some creative thinking is in order.............:laughing: :laughing:

[Pipsqueak]

ran a session saying it was a best practice session, most of our old school local CM's would run a mile and not come - so some creative thinking is in order.............:laughing: :laughing:

oh believe me my diplomcy skills are developing well!!!!:laughing:
my lot run a mile to but they don't realise that I am slipping in 'good practice'.... I let them ask me about stuff as well and guide them through.

Like you say though, it would be nice to have some clout behind what I do because some of them drive me batty!

[Bendalina]

I'm an EYP childminder. The first in North Yorkshire to get it. I loved doing the course and so much support and help. The thing I have found most beneficial is the support and help I have been able to access since qualifying. I have been chosen for courses and training only available to EYPs.

I sit on an Early Years Development Group for North Yorkshire County Council. I feel like I am finally respected as a childcare professional and treated as an equal with Nursery Managers and Pre0School teachers.

The only downside is a sort of reversed snobbery from other childminders. Those who never attend training, don't network and generally do the minimum they need to operate. There are others childminders who access me for support and guidance and I am happy to help anyone.

I am now doing a C&G PTLLS (preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector) to enable me to deliver training to childminders after I completed an EYP Skills to Train course.

I won't be childminding forever and having the EYP is opening so many doors and avenues to a career in childcare.

What I will say is as a childminder I am not entitled to the same benefits as EYPs from settings. I did get the graduate leader funding but when that stopped for me there was no replacement. There was for setting EYPs. I have been told it is because they never expected childminders to be EYPs.....

But I love being an EYP and do not regret a minute of it.

(ps I did not have a childcare degree and I did the short 6 month pathway)