Eymp1 Context and Principles for Early Years Provision Essay

In consideration of this question the assignment will critically reflect upon statutory descriptors of quality early years provision. It will analyse current policies and legislation drawing historical and international references for comparison and contradiction.

Practitioners work in partnership with parent’s families, as they are the child’s first and most enduring carers and educators

Children Act 1989 – Determines the duty of early year’s practitioners to identify and meet the separate and distinctive needs of children and to keep them safe. It initiated the belief that the child ought to be at the centre of planning and that a child’s well-being and safety are vital when judgements are made concerning them. This act also recognises the accountabilities of parents in keeping their offspring safe. In this act there are two particular segments that relate to the duty of local authority with concern to child protection, these are-

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework that sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children are ready for school and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills t hat provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life. The Early years foundation stage was introduced in 2008 and sets out one standard framework for learning, development and care for all children from birth to the foundation year.

The Government is committed to promoting the welfare and development of all our young children. Good quality care and education in the early years raise educational standards and opportunities, and enhance children’s social development.

We also use communication books to for each child, this makes it easy for parents/ carers to communicate messages to a child’s key worker and to inform them of their child’s daily activities at nursery. This helps to build a good positive relationship with parents/carers and also offers us the opportunity to include parents in the further development of their child at home too. (Parents and practitioners can have a lot to learn from each other).

The role and responsibilities of an early year’s practitioner follow a number of codes. When working with children there are many care needs of children, such as special needs, safeguarding children, children’s learning, behaviour, and working with parents. Early years practitioners have set responsibilities when working with children, like meeting the learning needs of a child, providing an environment which is welcoming and also they have to work together as part of a team to provide good service for both children and parents.

Theories of development and frameworks to support development are incredibly important to us working with children and young people. They help us to understand children, how they react to things/situations, their behaviour and the ways they learn. Different theories and ways of working with children have come together to provide frameworks for children’s care, such as Early year’s foundation stage (EYFS) which is used within all child care settings. This encourages us to work together, help and check the development of babies, children and young people, to keep them healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to

The purpose of the EYFS is to ensure that all children have access to quality early years education. To measure this and to ensure practitioners have a focus for their work a series of outcomes is given for each area of learning, these are the early learning goals.

Summarise entitlement and provision for early years’ education (Refer to Childcare Act 2006 and Every Child matters) (1.1)

1. Setting the standards for the learning, development and care, ensuring that every child makes progress and that no child gets left behind. Parents, providers should deliver individualised learning, development and care that enhances the development of the children in their care and gives those children the best possible start in life. Every child should be supported individually to make progress at their own pace and children who need extra support to fulfil their potential should receive special consideration. All providers have an equally important role to play in children’s early years experiences and they have to ensure that the provision they deliver is both appropriate to children’ needs and complementary to the education and care provided in child’s other settings.

An explanation of how different approaches to work with children in early years have affected current provision in the UK

Every child who on the term commencing after their 3rd Birthday is entitled to a free part time place in early years education. This was formed as part of the Every Child Matters agenda. From 0-5 years the framework of learning, development & care forms the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which follows the following principles:

‘Early years practitioners have a key role to play in working with parents to support their young children. This should include identifying learning needs and responding quickly to any difficulties. Wherever appropriate, practitioners should work together with professionals from other

This essay will critically discuss the key factors that influence the management of an Early years setting focusing on government early years policies that influence the management of provision and the manager’s roles and responsibilities.