Editor's view - what's happening with qualifications?

What on earth is going on with early years and childcare qualifications? It's a couple of weeks from the deadline for all the existing sector-related qualifications to be replaced by the new Level 2 and 3 Diplomas for the Children and Young People's Workforce, yet everything is up in the air once more (see News, page 4).

Complaints from various parts of the sector, including trainers and employers, about aspects of the new diploma - such as the lack of progression routes to higher education and the hours of practical experience involved - appeared to be unheeded as the end of December deadline hurtled nearer.

Then Ofqual unleashes its report criticising these very things, and - perhaps a sign of that body's growing power and the soon-to-be diminished status of the CWDC - there is a flurry of activity to meet the Ofqual recommendations.

A larger two-year qualification, based on the Diploma but involving higher-order skills and presumably leading to UCAS points, is to be devised. A way of increasing work experience hours will be sought. And awarding bodies are asked to submit existing full and relevant qualifications for extension to January 2012.

All well and good, but where does this leave the colleges and students? Everything has been geared towards abandoning the old qualifications and embracing the new one. How do you advise students on which course to take? Will there be further change? How can anyone plan in these chaotic circumstances?

Meanwhile, the position for Montessori and Steiner qualifications seems even more muddled as they are not eligible under the listed criteria, leaving the next steps for specialist training for these long-established early years methods far from clear.