Last week I posted “Early Years Qualifications – Know What Counts.”
I expected it to strike a chord, but I wasn’t prepared for just how many people would come forward.
Since then, we’ve been contacted by nursery managers, setting owners, and learners from across the country. And while each story was personal, they all echoed the same painful reality:
“I thought I was qualified… but I’m not.”
“We hired someone with what we thought was the right certificate, but it doesn’t count.”
“I completed my course, paid the fees, and still can’t work in the job I trained for.”
Worryingly, this clearly isn’t a one-off. It’s not isolated. It’s a systemic issue, and it’s hurting learners, employers, and the sector.
A Hidden Crisis that’s No Longer Hidden
The deeper we look, the more worrying the picture becomes, with courses that don’t meet EYFS / DfE standards still being missold as suitable.
The result?
Disrupted careers. Settings find themselves understaffed non-compliant. And a growing shortfall of qualified staff, at a time when the sector can least afford it.
Here’s The Honest Truth:
We don’t know how big this problem really is. From what we can see, there’s currently no national data tracking this issue to understand how many practitioners are holding non-relevant qualifications, and that’s a problem.
We want to know more. That’s why we’re going to invest in new research, to get a clearer picture of the issue. We want to understand the scale, the causes, and the impact, not just from our inboxes, but from across the entire Early Years landscape.
So, What are we Doing About It?
At Swift Childcare, we’ve always worked exclusively in Early Years. We know the pressures settings face. We know how hard learners work. And we believe everyone deserves a fair chance at a recognised qualification.
That’s why we’re not standing on the side lines. And we can’t assume change will happen quickly. So, we’re preparing to launch a support program for learners who’ve been affected, one that helps them move forward without having to pay twice.
We’ll be sharing full details very soon. But for now, know this:
🔅 Help is coming.
🔅 We’re Standing Up to Be Counted
This campaign is about more than one provider. It’s about standing up for the standards our sector deserves and helping every learner and employer navigate a clearer, fairer path.
Because in this profession, every individual deserves:
⭐ To be recognised
⭐ To be respected
⭐ To be counted
Thank you to everyone who’s spoken up so far. Your voices are shaping the change our sector urgently needs.
We’ll be sharing more very soon. Watch this Space. 👀
Jack Edwards
Operations Director
