Workforce Profiles in Early Childhood Education and Care

Pamela Oberhuemer is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Thomas Coram Research Unit of the University College London. Inge Schreyer is a Senior researcher at the State Institute for Early Childhood Research and Media Literacy – IFP, Munich, Germany.

• Preface and acknowledgmentsIntroduction to SEEPRO-3SEEPRO-3 – project with a historySEEPRO-3 – background, aims and proceduresPart I: Contextualising the ECEC workforce1 Conceptual framework – a 'science of difference'2 Three ECEC system types: unitary, part-integrated, bi-sectoral3 Key policy measures since the previous SEEPRO study3.1 Legislative changes3.2 Curricular reforms3.3 Measures to improve access to ECEC3.4 Personnel-related measures4 Contextual Framework4.1 Legal entitlement and compulsory enrolment in ECEC4.2 ECEC providers and main setting types4.3 Curricular frameworks – digital education4.4 Evaluation and assessment4.5 Inclusion and transitions4.6 Working parents, parenting leave and post-leave entitlement to ECECPart II: The ECEC workforce5 Key pedagogical and specialist support staff5.1 Core practitioners: minimum qualification requirements and professional profiles5.2 Centre leaders in ECEC5.3 Assistant co-workers5.4 ECEC counsellors, supervisors and inspectors5.5 Specialist support staff5.6 Staff in ECEC settings by qualification and gender: an overview6 Initial professional education of core practitioners6.1 What competences do ECEC core practitioners need? Competence profiles in six countries6.2 Curriculum in ECEC initial professional education: Six country examples6.3 Field practice in the initial professional education of ECEC core practitioners7 Alternative routes into the ECEC professions – lateral entry8 Continuing professional development in the early childhood field8.1 Legislation and regulatory frameworks8.2 Providers and main forms of continuing professional development8.3 Continuing professional development as an entitlement and a duty8.4 Participation in continuing professional development measures as a requirement for career promotion8.5 Current topics in CPD8.6 Availability of continuing professional development for ECEC assistant co-workers9 Newly qualified and newly appointed staff: Support measures in the workplacePart III: Reform initiatives – workforce and ECEC system challenges10 Staff-related policy initiatives and reform strategies10.1 Initiatives to improve initial professional education10.2 Strategies to improve working conditions and measures to combat staff shortages10.3 Staff-related reforms as part of overall educational policy strategies11 Staff-related and system-related challenges from a country expert perspective11.1 Staff shortages11.2 Staff to child ratios11.3 Initial professional education of core practitioners11.4 Continuing professional development opportunities for centre leaders, core practitioners and assistant co-workers11.5 Integration at the ECEC system level11.6 Equitable access to early childhood education and care settings11.7 Further challenges from a country expert perspective12 Summary and outlook12.1 Contextual framework12.2 Early childhood staff12.3 Reform strategies – staff and system-related challenges12.4 OutlookReferencesAbout the authorsSEEPRO-3 Cooperation partners in 33 countries (2021–2024)GlossaryIndex