A wide range of skills, knowledge and a positive attitude are all vitally important as a practitioner working with children, young people and families. The job can be challenging at times and a certain type of personality is needed to do the job well. Patience, empathy, confidence and good communication skills play a huge part in the job role. The Cathy Nutbrown report ‘Foundation for quality: the independent review of early education and childcare qualifications (2012)’ reviews the Early Years sector as Nutbrown was concerned the current qualification system is not equipping practitioners with the current knowledge, understand and skills that are needed to work with children, young people and families.
Nutbrown is very keen on every practitioner in the Early Years sector having at least a level 3 qualification and also to have a high level of training, this is where she recommends the idea of practice placements for all newly qualified staff. Nutbrown also identifies a number of