Professional training doesn't come free

Wednesday, November 14, 2001

As a tutor on childcare, child development and play courses, I have been very interested in the articles and letters in Nursery World recently concerning the confusion about qualification levels for assistants and supervisors in various settings. As I work mainly in the 'community-based' sector I think your readers need to be aware that people who are already working for next to nothing also have to undertake training at their own expense. It is all very well for Richard Dorrrance, chief executive of CACHE, to say, 'If early years workers want to be called - and paid as - professionals, they must keep their training up to date.' Where do people who earn the basic minimum wage of 4.10 per hour find over 200 to register on a level 2 course?