A career in Childhood Practice

A wide variety of job titles exist for people who currently work in Early Years and Childcare.  Throughout this toolkit we will use the term  Childhood Practice, to reflect developments in this area of work. 

Staff working in Childhood Practice play a key role in the care, learning and developmental support that our children need to help them get the best start in life.

Working with children and their families can provide a very interesting and fulfilling career and there are opportunities for workers at all levels.

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Following the National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce, the Scottish Government set out their response and action plan for the continued improvement and development of the early years and childcare sector in “Investing in Children’s Futures”. 

This has provided a significant investment to enable the development of “high quality, flexible early years and childcare services which are essential to enable all our children to meet their potential”(Investing in Children’s Futures).

The development of Childhood Practice awards is designed to put Scotland at the forefront of the development of integrated qualifications for early years and childcare practitioners.  “Developing the skills and career opportunities of those delivering early years services is key to helping us achieve that goal and the new professional standards will promote excellence in the sector” (Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years).

The standard for childhood practice has been developed as the standard that informs a single qualifications framework across the sector.  This means a greater consistency about how childhood practice workers will be trained in the future.  The standard will now influence the designing of new awards in the sector.  Importantly it sets out the standard for leaders and managers in the sector. A new award called the BA Childhood Practice is being delivered in universities across Scotland.  It is being offered by the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Strathclyde, the Highlands and Islands and the University of the West of Scotland. Long term, all childhood practice managers will be required to gain the new awards that have 360 credits and lead to an award at level 9.  You will find more information about opportunities that are available to you by following this toolkit.