What it takes to work in early years and childcare

Early years and childcare describes:

early years provision, which offers education and care for children under the age of 5 years
out of school childcare for school aged children around the school day which includes before school breakfast clubs and after school clubs, as well as holiday play schemes and clubs, which provide childcare for school aged children too, but during school holidays

If you are thinking that working with young children is rewarding and fun, you would be right, but the early years are also a very important time in children’s lives.

Did you know that children’s brains develop connections faster in the first 5 years than at any other time in their lives? By the time a child is 3 years old, their brain has already grown to 80% of an adult’s brain size. That is a lot of development.

This critical early brain development has a lasting impact on a child’s ability to learn and succeed - not just in school, but in life too. The quality of their experiences in this time - how they are cared for, their interactions with adults and other children and other early learning opportunities - support brain connections that will last a lifetime.

We know that high quality early years experiences improve children’s long-term wellbeing and life chances. But poor-quality experiences can mean those important brain connections are not formed and it is much harder for these to be made in later life, so the early years workforce has a direct, positive impact on the lives of young children.

The early years and childcare workforce shape children’s futures. Some academics have described us as ‘brain architects’ and ‘brain engineers’. In West Sussex, we think this should be celebrated.

"I love the difference we make to children and their families. To be in the position to help a child enjoy and achieve is such a privilege. Each day is different but always enjoyable. How lucky we are to be in a position to help give children the best start in life!"

Nursery, Adur

In West Sussex we think that working with children is one of the most rewarding careers you can consider. Read on to find out why we think it is so much more than just a job:

You will be enabling and supporting children to learn skills they will use for life, impacting on their future happiness and life chances.
Creativity and imagination are valued across all early years and childcare careers - inspiring awe and wonder in young children, while developing new and exciting opportunities to interact with and learn about the world, is all part of the job.
It is hard to get bored when you are engaging children in exciting learning adventures, whether inside or outside, at a forest school or beach school - no 2 days will ever be the same.
A career in early years and childcare offers job security - parents will always need childcare and children will always need high quality early years experiences.
It is a career for people of all abilities, ages, ethnicities and genders, so you will be sure to find a pathway that works for you.
Career progression is varied and there are some excellent opportunities - these include:

opportunities to progress into management roles, from room supervisor through to area manager for nursery chains
using your expertise in further education or training companies to teach and assess the practitioners of tomorrow
upskilling and working in an advisory capacity, supporting settings within a local authority team or Ofsted
using your expertise in child development to move your career into complementary areas, including teaching, early help and social work

It is a flexible profession with a range of roles and opportunities available that provide different working patterns, for example, whether you want a full-time role, term time only or other options, there will be something to suit you.
There are lots of professional bodies and organisations committed to ensuring high quality practice in early years and childcare which offer information and advice for early years and childcare practitioners, so you will never feel alone or struggle to find support.
If you are an aspiring business owner there are lots of opportunities, and with the government roll out of funded early years and childcare, much of your income could come from the Early Years Funded Entitlement (EYFE) scheme.
The government roll out of funded childcare also means the sector is expanding and needs more practitioners – just like you.

"I love working in the early years because it’s the most important and challenging job you can do … it offers flexible working opportunities … every day is different … many skills are required such as creativity, problem solving, gardening and cooking … every day you will smile!"

Playgroup, Horsham

These are some of the qualities that we in West Sussex think make great early years and childcare practitioners.

See how many of these attributes you recognise in yourself.

Enjoy being with children and have an interest in how children learn and grow

Children need early years and childcare practitioners who like to spend time and interact with them and provide opportunities for them to flourish.

Be a good communicator

A key skill is being able to communicate in an appropriate way with children of different ages and at different stages of development. You will also be communicating with parents and carers about children’s skills, abilities and achievements and with your team to plan activities and learning opportunities. A good level of spoken and written English to record children’s development is important and a sensitive and empathetic approach is a must.

Be a great listener

Listening to young children is not just about hearing what they say. It is about understanding what their body language tells us and what they are trying to communicate through behaviour.

You will have to listen effectively to parents and carers too. They are experts on their children, so getting it right from the start means developing strong parental partnerships.

A positive, upbeat personality and a good sense of humour

Children respond well to adults who are interested in them. You do not need to be a comedian, just someone who can show children the joy they feel when with them, and a playfulness in appreciating their developing sense of humour. You will also need to model behaviour that will help build resilience in children when they are faced with challenges and setbacks. Learning should always be fun and laughing together will help children stay positive about learning every day.

Genuinely caring, respectful and empathetic

Children (just like adults) need to feel safe, secure and cared for in order to learn and grow. It is important to recognise that every child and family is unique. Understanding the challenges they face will allow you to build on the strengths of each child, supporting them to learn in their own way.

Imaginative, creative and passionate about learning

Practitioners with a love of learning bring imagination, creativity and energy to the learning experiences they offer. They also recognise the value of learning and continually developing themselves, personally and professionally. They will use that learning to continually improve the experiences they offer children.

Friendly, trustworthy, flexible and a team player

In a group setting, teamwork is fundamental to delivering an effective and supportive early years’ experience. Your team members need to trust you to carry out your role with diligence, to support them when they need it and to be flexible to meet the needs of all the children in your care.

Hardworking, punctual and organised

While working in early years and childcare is fun, it is not just playing all day - you will be an educator, not a babysitter! You’ll need to have high energy levels and be committed to working hard to ensure you provide the best and most positive experiences for children.

Punctuality is important too - you are providing childcare for parents and carers who need to get to work. Early years and childcare settings are run on staff numbers. Not being where you should be and at the right time can mean the setting is non-compliant and could get into trouble.

Organisation skills will help you plan effectively and provide the secure routines that children need to thrive.

An understanding of maths

You will need to understand mathematical concepts to provide high quality learning opportunities for children. This is not just about counting, it is about things like size, space, shape, measure and volume.

If you aspire to be a manager or own your own business, maths will come in handy for budgeting, paying your staff, purchasing supplies and charging fees. West Sussex Adult Learning can help you upskill if maths is not your strength.

"Being with the children makes me feel warm inside and building trusting relationships with new nervous parents makes each working day worthwhile. Knowing I played a part on making a child smile and develop, encouraging a child to try something new, helping children to be excited about the world."

Day Nursery, Horsham