Early childhood graduates in the workplace: Experiences and perceptions

Research has consistently shown that ECS graduates enhance the quality of services delivered by settings (Bonetti and Blanden, 2020). They are well-placed to improve outcomes for children and families in the areas of social and economic disadvantage that have been disproportionately disadvantaged by the recent Covid-19 pandemic (Early Education, 2022; Murray, 2020; O’Connor et al., 2021). However, marketisation and the cost-of-living crisis are impacting on higher education, with universities seeking evidence of the value of degree courses and the contribution of their graduates to the workforce (McIntyre, 2022). These political developments are beginning to impact on ECS degrees with courses potentially being discontinued, and consequently, the supply of graduate level practitioners to the sector is likely to be reduced. Therefore, our ECSDN funded research aims to build upon previously funded projects (Fairchild et al. 2022; Richardson et al., 2022) and to contribute to the existing knowledge base regarding the role and contribution of the ECS graduate workforce in ECEC settings.

In this presentation, the team from the three English universities will share the rationale and research design for our project. The research has received ethical approval from Birmingham City University and we are excited to be launching the first phase of data collection with you at this ECSDN conference.