ABSTRACT
Professionalism can be difficult to define. Some people might claim to know it when they see it, but ideas vary about what it is. Dictionary definitions suggest that it involves belonging to or being connected with a particular profession or demonstrating the skills relating to a profession. It is likely that early years practitioners will be at various points along a continuum of professional development depending upon their age, stage in their career and level of training and qualifications. As Abbott and Pugh (1998, p. 156) said ‘The ways in which early years workers become competent, knowledgeable and skilful will continue to be many and varied.’ This chapter addresses some of the issues which have been a barrier to professionalism in the early years in the past. The chapter also looks to the future and considers the changing role of the early years professional, through a consideration of training and professional development routes, qualifications, and the developing and increasingly diverse role of the early years practitioner and the importance of all early years professionals working together towards common outcomes.
