We know that the pandemic and associated measures had a negative impact on the development of young children and disrupted the training of new practitioners. That is why refining and targeting the most specific and appropriate support for practitioners was so important when developing Phase 3 of the highly successful Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP).
As part of the Government’s Early Years Recovery package the Department for Education has committed further Investment to offer the EYPDP to all local authorities in England. Education Development Trust (EDT) are delighted to continue to deliver EYPDP on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE). Our positive impact in education runs through everything we do, from our evidence-based programme design to the ethos we have as a learning organisation.
The programme will provide high-quality, evidence-based continuous professional development (CPD) to up to 10,000 practitioners. The EYPDP programme will enable practitioners to enhance their knowledge and skills in supporting the development of children across three key developmental areas - Communication and Language, Early Mathematics, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED). These are areas that experts and practitioners alike have recognised as being significantly affected for children as a result of the pandemic.
At EDT, we have focused on ensuring that this training content will make a considerable difference to the outcomes of some of the most vulnerable children, increasing their life chances, options and opportunities. To do this, we’re working with industry specialists such as Speech and Language UK, Early Mathematics experts Dr Sue Gifford and Dr Catherine Gripton, and the Anna Freud Centre, who are specialists in children’s mental health, to ensure the modules have the expert content that makes the programme so effective.
This kind of specialist, industry partnership highlights how much a professional development programme that addresses the impact of the pandemic on children’s development is needed right now. Jan Dubiel, an internationally recognised early years specialist and expert adviser to the programme, noted that right now it is crucial for practitioners to engage with specific and appropriate CPD. PSED is a core component of children’s development. The importance of emotional and psychological wellbeing, social interaction and the ability to collaborate and co-operate are all areas that have been affected by the pandemic.
Educators across the country have noted that children aged two-four are still hugely affected by the pandemic. The knock-on effects are already being seen in settings where children aren’t at the developmental level for language and communication, early mathematics, and their emotional and social development is not where it needs to be.
We know that by working with our key partners on this targeted content, this programme will help practitioners to support those children most affected.
The EYPDP is created for practitioners and we’ve worked really hard to create a programme that they can fit around pressurised jobs, as well as family life. The blended mix of online eLearning and facilitated webinars are also available across evenings and weekends, and leads practitioners through tailored modules based on current early years pedagogy and linked to the EYFS statutory guidance.
The flexible learning will take practitioners approximately 60 hours to complete over an eight-month period. We’re looking forward to seeing as many practitioners as possible take up the programme across the four cohorts of training with staggered start dates between February 2023 and the Spring of 2025. Upon the successful completion of the training, practitioners will receive an OCN London- endorsed certificate.
The training is free to access and there is funding available from the DfE to pay for the practitioner’s time to participate in the training.
Registrations are open for Cohort 1 and places are filling fast. Training starts on 6 February so don't miss out! For further information about the EYPDP, or to register your interest, please visit earlyyearspdp.com. For all enquiries, please email earlyyears@edt.org
