4MEInterpretive = Quant + 3Qual – Quant

‘Knowledge and Voice in Early Childhood: Who knows? Who speaks? Who listens?’

EECERA Annual Conference (2010) was held at the University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Road, Birmingham.

Dr. Margaret Simms' paper '4MEInterpretive = Quant + 3Qual – Quant' was sandwiched between those of two big names in the Early Years field, Maelis Karlsson Lohmander (University of The Gothenberg, Sweden) and Sue McKeogh (Open University, UK).

Focus, purpose and aims The research focuses on retention of early years practitioners in Day nurseries maintaining the centrality of practitioners in the study; its purpose is to contribute to an alternative line of thinking that places practitioners’ needs alongside those of the children they serve. The aims of the research are to investigate the attitudes, values and perceptions of practitioners to their work and workplace, to ascertain what induces them to remain in Day nurseries.

Mercer, Rawstone (2001; 2002) and others assert that the early years sector sustains a reputation of low pay, low status (Tweed 2001; Cooke and Lawton 2008; Cameron, Mooney and Moss 2002) and lacks a career ladder (DCSF 2006; Daycare Trust/National Centre for Social Research 2007). Moreover, practitioners are overworked and undervalued (Cameron, Owen and Moss 2001; Children’s Workforce Development Council 2006). Successive Childcare and Early Years Surveys (DCSF 2007) suggest that large numbers of practitioners leave their jobs. However, the phenomenon of retention amongst practitioners who remain is a worthy focus of exploration.