Developing a New Profession: A Case Study

Abstract

Professions have traditionally been the province of male-dominated, educated elites who self-regulate through codes of conduct to maintain public confidence and in return can expect high status and remuneration for their services. The purpose of this paper is to explore the meaning and challenges of professionalization in a sector which runs counter to this stereotype. The early years sector in the UK is characterised by low qualifications, low pay, gendered perceptions of work roles and small, dispersed and highly variable settings. Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) was introduced in 2007 as part of government strategy along with other workforce reforms aimed at improving the quality of provision for young children. The nationally designed ‘validation’ (assessment) process is explained and a ‘capacity building’ approach to implementation within one English region is presented. Alternative models of professionalism are discussed and the emergent roles and identities of EYPs are explored based on focus group evidence collected three years into the roll out of the training programme. The importance of Continuing Professional Development is discussed as a means of consolidating professional identity and preventing professional isolation. However, questions are raised about the long term sustainability of the profession unless fundamental issues of pay and conditions are addressed to make it commensurate with other graduate-level professions.