The Graduate Leader Fund (GLF) replaces the graduate elements of the Transformation Fund (TF) from April 2008 but continues with the same core aim which is to place an Early Years Professional in every Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) full daycare setting by 2015. The GLF will provide a financial incentive for recruitment and retention which can be used for salaries.
The GLF will build on 3 strands of the TF - the Home Grown Graduate Incentive (HGGI), Recruitment Incentive (RI) and Quality Premium (QP) - to continue to offer PVI full daycare settings the opportunity to:
- Train a non-graduate so that they can attain a foundation degree and go on with other graduates to attain Early Years Professional Status (EYPS);
- Recruit a graduate;
- Train an existing graduate;
- Retain their Early Years Professional.
The funding can be used for:
- Improving the pay of the graduate leader (or trainee) within the setting;
- Study time for the trainee while doing the foundation degree and for the graduate while doing EYPS training;
- Professional development for the graduate and other staff in the setting;
- Activities to support quality of services to children and parents.
**For example – activities to get parents involved in their children’s learning and development, buying in specialist support (i.e. nutritional advice or support for children with additional needs) enrichment activities (i.e. music, sport or languages), or any other innovative ideas to improve quality and outcomes. Must be for under 5’s.
Who can apply?
You can apply if you meet all of the following criteria:
- Full day care early years settings, open 4 hours+ per day, 38 weeks of the year.
- Employ a leader or graduate for at least 18.5 hours per week within the setting
- The leader will be working towards the Early Years Sector Endorsed Foundation Degree (only one payment per setting) or
- The graduate will be in a professional leadership role with a relevant Level 5/6 qualification
- This leader needs to commit to gaining Early Years Professional Status and will lead on the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage within the whole setting.
- The setting must be a member (or working towards being a member) of a national or local Quality Improvement Scheme, for example, the Bristol Standard.
Useful websites
Information on Early Years Professional Status
Children's Workforce Development Council
Information on the Graduate Leader Fund
Every Child Matters
Contact:
Helen Williams, Project Officer
Bristol Early Years & Childcare Service
PO Box 57
The Council House
Bristol
BS99 7EB
Tel: 0117 90 37969
Fax: 0117 90 37907
Email: helen.williams@bristol.gov.uk