14 Apr Essex County Council Marks Early Years Teacher Day
This National Early Years Teacher Day (17 April), Essex County Council is celebrating the dedication of the county’s early years workforce.
The celebration is part of the council’s early years recruitment campaign, ‘Make a change. Build a future.’ It encourages people to enter a career in early years or set up a childminding business.
Carolyn Terry, Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency and Sustainability Manager at the council, said: “National Early Years Teacher Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the hard work that our early years practitioners and childminders do. They look after children at an important time in their lives and deliver a range of play and learning opportunities. The early years are vital to children’s development. In the first five¹ years of a child’s life, their brain develops faster than at any other time.”
She continued: “We also want to highlight how rewarding working in the sector is. An early years career is a great choice for those who want to make a difference to children and families’ lives. The dedication of early years practitioners enables parents and carers to feel confident to head back into work themselves.”
One dedicated early years practitioner, Abbie Dennis, 21, recently completed an apprenticeship at Munchkins Nursery, Dunton Park. She is delighted to see the effect she is having on the children and is looking forward to a long career in early years.
Abbie said: “Working in early years is not babysitting. We teach children vital skills that help them to develop. We educate them on how to have patience, socialise with their peers and adults, and how to manage their emotions. We support them with their first steps and their first words. It’s definitely rewarding to work with children and it’s satisfying to see them hit their milestones.”
She continued: “I can see this being a lifelong career. I recently completed my apprenticeship and I’m looking forward to starting my special educational needs training next month. I’m hoping to take on the role of special educational needs co-ordinator in the future.”
Essex County Council offers a range of early years courses to help people progress their career in the sector. For further details, including funding options that may be available, please visit: https://eycp.essex.gov.uk/discover-or-return-to-a-career-in-early-years-and-childcare/routes-into-childcare/
