EYP- EARLY YEARS PROFESSIONAL

[It's a small world]

Hi

Has anyone done the above course? Apprently as I have a degree I am unable to get funding for the NVQ level 3 (diploma ), but I have been advised by a DO at a fun day today that I can do the EYP which is a level six and get funding regardless of having a degree or not..:clapping: Just wondered if anyone had done this and what was it like?

Just looking on websites but wanted to get personal opinions x

[onceinabluemoon]

I thought they'd cancelled the Eyps?

[It's a small world]

I thought they'd cancelled the Eyps?

I was speaking to my DO today and said I may have to give up cm as I have a degree and cannot afford the fees for the NVQ3( or equiv) her reply was EYP. Told me to look on internet and get in touch if unsure about it. Confused now. She was sure its available as said it was a level 6 and when the NVQ3 (or equiv) becomes compulsory the EYP would be ok and said this would be accepted too ??:huh: :huh:

[miffy]

I thought they'd cancelled the Eyps?

Don't know but it doesn't say so on the cwdc website

http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/eyps

Miffy xx

[venus89]

I got my EYP status last month and the word when I finished doing the course was that it would be going for at least another year..... So no, at the moment it's still avaialble, not cancelled.

Should you do it? Well, if you want a status that will change your life, open new doorways, make everyone around you proud, and give you increased learning opportunities EYPS is not for you....

But if you'd like a status which will make you proud and reaffirm to you all the good things you do for yourself and for others, which stands a chance of earning you a bit more if you change pathways and stop Childminding, which will make you personally more professional and give you a good opportunity to work on a level footing with other professionsla but which will make everyone ask 'what's that then?' then yes, it's for you.....

From my viewpoint I'm glad I did it, and would have been even if I'd failed to achieve the status. It made me think about what I do and it made me realise that I do do a good job - and in Childminding it's rare to get that confirmation. I did the short pathway, it was a lot of work but only in terms of organising the work I already do. But there is a degree of pressure on you as it has to fit around your working and family life. On the other hand, Childminders are brilliantly placed to achieve the status as all our policies etc are created by ourselves, that ticks quite a few boxes already and that's just for starters. Also you should get a bursary which you can use any way you see fit, so a nice little bonus.

HTH - any questions please ask.

[It's a small world]

I got my EYP status last month and the word when I finished doing the course was that it would be going for at least another year..... So no, at the moment it's still avaialble, not cancelled.

Should you do it? Well, if you want a status that will change your life, open new doorways, make everyone around you proud, and give you increased learning opportunities EYPS is not for you....

But if you'd like a status which will make you proud and reaffirm to you all the good things you do for yourself and for others, which stands a chance of earning you a bit more if you change pathways and stop Childminding, which will make you personally more professional and give you a good opportunity to work on a level footing with other professionsla but which will make everyone ask 'what's that then?' then yes, it's for you.....

From my viewpoint I'm glad I did it, and would have been even if I'd failed to achieve the status. It made me think about what I do and it made me realise that I do do a good job - and in Childminding it's rare to get that confirmation. I did the short pathway, it was a lot of work but only in terms of organising the work I already do. But there is a degree of pressure on you as it has to fit around your working and family life. On the other hand, Childminders are brilliantly placed to achieve the status as all our policies etc are created by ourselves, that ticks quite a few boxes already and that's just for starters. Also you should get a bursary which you can use any way you see fit, so a nice little bonus.

HTH - any questions please ask.

Oh thank you. No I dont want to do it to make everyone proud of me . I want to do it so I can carry on with Childminding and hopefully give me the opportuinty to better mysefl should I wish to change careers and I suppose show me that I do a good job despite what other people think.
Thanks for the advice might be in touch for help :laughing: Think i may have to do the longer version as my life is very busy and very demanding. Never a quiet moment to myself.
Could you advise is all the course done from home or do you have to attend a class. I will find it difficult to attend an evening class as no family/close friends to help babysit my 2 xx

[The Juggler]

sounds like your do is not sure what she is on about hon. you can't do EYP without a degree anymore. but if you are a CM and they want you to do level 3 in childcare and your degree is in something else which they've NOT already funded it's madness NOT to fund you for it :panic: If your degree is not in early years you will have to do the 18month/2 year option anyhow for which the bursary is/was quite generous.:D

EYP is not defunct yet. they are reviewing it (I'm wiating to see what happens too) and probably courses will begin again in Jan. wish I'd started when Venus did :( but hey ho.

[venus89]

Juggler's right, you can't do EYP without a degree but you can do it alongside a degree (foundation degree with EYPS, or you , could at Canterbury)....

As for whether you can do it all from home I'm not sure about that, I think the requirements vary from course to course. I had to go in a few days, and the people who were required to go in on particular days sometimes varied depending on individual experience (those who worked in a baby room didn't need to go in for the day specifically about babies, for instance). Don't forget the bursary is to cover you for the days you can't Childmind and if you're looking at the long pathway you'll get a bigger bursary. On our course it was possible, if you couldn't make a particular day, to attend the same session another day with another group, they were very flexible and understood we were all working ladies (no men)

It sounds from what you said that this could be a good option for you, your reasons are sound (much the same as mine were ;) ), and as Juggler said you've got some time to think about it. Perhaps contact your local provider/s to find out more about how many days they require you to go in, how long they think they may have the course available, which pathway would be best for you.....

[marleymoo]

i've just finished my foundation degree and have been accepted to do the early childhood studies top up degree with EYPS and it is fully funded and runs from January 2012.
however, agreeing with what venus89 and many many others have said, i decided NOT to take the place, as i am looking to further my career for AFTER i finish childminding as i don't want to return to my former legal career.
therefore, i have decided to top up my PGCE (Cert Ed), rather than to top up my foundation degree and so i am joining the final year of the BA Hons in Education Studies instead. unfortunately it is not funded by the CWDC so i am paying for it myself but the fee for this course is frozen this year so i only pay £1300 rather than £4,000+ if i delay it to next year.
it's mad the way the funding works. my understanding is that if you already have a degree then you won't get funding for another degree but i think you may still get funding for EYPS which is currently under review although i think it will continue in the future given recent recommendations from Dame Tickell but they've never quite got the status right - nobody seems to recognise it!

[Bluebell]

I've been looking into this and it is fully funded with a £5000 bursary. If you don't get a place on the funded places you can self-fund.
It has been reviewed and on offer is 4 pathways - undergraduate practitioner or non-practitioner OR graduates practitioner and non-practitioner. Either way it appears you are expected to get cover for days which you spend in other settings (which you can also get funded for)
I don't think I have enough management experience in a children's setting - as I am a childminder I don't have staff or colleagues but I don't consider myself as a non-practitioner either and I don't really know how to go about getting advice or information. The CWD council website seems particularly vague.
Can anyone who has done the EYPS shed a bit of light;

-If you did the practitioner route how did you demonstrate management of staff etc to qualify?
- how did you manage to do it and continue your childminding business?
- How many days were you expected to spend in other settings?
- How many days were you expected to spend in college?
- How long did it take you to complete the course?
- Its a postgraduate course - was the work at masters level and did you get any masters credits for any 'assignments'?

My local college offers it with a £5000.00 bursary but they are talking about the full route which I think refers to non-practitioners. I want to continue my childminding but this would be 2 days a week in college every week and I assume placements aswell!

Any advice would be very much appreciated - I am in a real turmoil as to how best to proceed! Applications are already open for January 2012 places!

[butterfly]

I've done it and got my status a year a go. The actual course looks difefrent depending on which company you do it through. I looked at two - one was very strict about you attending the actual day courses but the one I decided to go with (Best Practice) were very accomodating to the fact that I had a full time job and two small children. I started on the 4 month pathway but changed halfway through to the 6 month pathway (Best Practice encourage you to swap if your life gets hectic or you want more time). The 6 month pathway involved actually being on the course for 5 days (basically about 1 day per month) but were ok if i couldn't attend some of them due to personal/work pressures. I received £1000 doing the 6mth pathway which covered the costs of taking a few days off.

I loved it! It made me realise how much i know and how good the things i do are. it gave me new ideas and i feel proud. although it's not particularly recognised the gov target is to get an EYP in every setting so you'd be ahead with this and in my county there are termly EYP days when you can go and network with other EYPs and get further training etc

Feel free to pm me if you want more help!

[butterfly]

i suppose it depends where you do it but i didn't get any credits towards my masters.

i was able to show management by sharing ideas/activities with other childminders at my network meetings and at the children's centre.

Doing the 4 or 6 mth pathway didn't involve going in to other settings - i didn't need to as could demonstrate the full age range within my setting.

if i were you i'd look into different companies - there are several who do it.

if you have experience i wouldn't do the 12 or 15 mth pathway - they are very much geared at people with absolutely no experience or no current suitable workplace. i didnt find it too dificult to fit around fulll tiem work and two small children.

[Bluebell]

Thank you very much for your reply. Best practice was one of the companies that came up as I am in the South West. I will look into it and thank you very much too for your kind offer that I can PM you with questions - you might regret that if I end up bombarding you!! I will look into it a bit more and maybe e-mail them directly with questions!