We are educators

We know that there is a wealth of research showing the critical importance of the first five years of a child’s life to their long-term learning and development – and yet, all too often early years provision in this country is viewed and treated as little more than ‘childcare’ to support parents to work, rather than the vital early education that it is.

How many times have you read articles in the media talking about the cost of ‘childcare’, and its impact on working families, with no mention of the child of the role of early years provision – and the work of early educators – in supporting early learning and development?

How often have those working in the sector been described as ‘watching’ or ‘looking after’ young children, when what they are in fact doing – alongside caring for them – is educating them?

We know that learning through play is an absolutely fundamental aspect of any high-quality early years provision – and yet, a lack of understanding of this more generally has meant that for far too long, hardworking, talented and knowledgeable early years professionals have been treated as ‘babysitters’ by policymakers, rather than valued as the educators that they are.

That’s why the Early Years Alliance has launched the #WeAreEducators campaign: a positive, empowering campaign that aims to help those working in the early years highlight to parents, local communities and policymakers the unique importance of the early years, and the role that our fantastic workforce plays in shaping children’s lives.

Everyone who signs up to the campaign on the Alliance website at www.eyalliance.org.uk/WeAreEducators will be given access to a free toolkit, including:

a mini-guide on how to highlight the early education being delivered at your setting when communicating with parents and carers
posters for your setting highlighting the vital role of play in early learning
digital campaign supporter buttons for your setting’s website and social media channels
downloadable #WeAreEducator profile picture frames for social media
template press releases to announce your setting’s involvement in the campaign in your local press
template letters to send to your local MP inviting them to visit your setting to view the education delivered in action PLUS a briefing sheet with potential discussion points for the visit itself

We at the Alliance will also be contacting MPs and peers directly to ask them to voice their support for the early years sector, and their recognition of our workforce as educators, through their own communication channels, including social media – and in the coming months, we will be providing further resources to help early educators support parents to continue their children’s learning at home.

We want as many providers as possible to join this important campaign. Because play is learning, and early years provision is education – and it’s high time our sector was given the respect it deserves.