The work of Vygotsky impacted on the understanding of child development and the importance of practitioners in extending learning. It is over seventy years since his death, yet the British Government has only recently actively embraced raising the quality of early years’ provision. The distinction between education and care for 0-5 year olds has been removed (Department for Education and Skills, 2006). This change brings with it the development of a new early years’ professional with Early Years Professional Status, which is broadly equivalent to Qualified Teacher Status (Children’s Development Workforce Council, 2006). They will have responsibility for leading and developing practice in meeting the holistic needs of
young children from an inter-disciplinary knowledge base.
This paper reports on the doctorial studies into professional identity. It considers candidates’ experiences, gained through ongoing quantitative and qualitative research on the pilot stage of the Early Years’ Professional Status at an English University. Initial findings indicate that, while the professionalisation of the early years is welcomed, there are many concerns about the validation process, the relationship with teaching, the quantity of paperwork, omission of a professional dialogue and direct observation with children