Stronger Practice Hubs: Sharing evidence informed practice

July 22, 2024

In the first of a series of three blogs we look at the work of Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs in England and the role they have to play.

Sharing good practice that is evidence informed is key for childcare professionals to ensure that they are continuously improving the service they offer and delivering high quality early years education and care. Practitioners should take the opportunities available, not only to hear from others who are sharing their good practice, but to also share their own good experience and insights. Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs (SPH’s) are offering just this. A chance for childcare practitioners to come together and share good practice, network, and engage with other professionals who share the same passion and drive that they do. You can find out more about the SPH’s by visiting the Stronger Practice Hubs website and PACEY’s Spotlight on Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs.

Where to start

Using evidence informed practice will support you as a childcare professional to develop and grow your practice. It will benefit you personally, by developing your confidence and skill set, and it will benefit the children by ensuring that the care they receive meets their individual needs and supports their learning and development. There are so many examples of evidence informed practice available, you just need to know where to find them and how to get started. First it is important to identify an area that needs development, this could be the environment, or supporting development with communication for example. It is a good idea to think about what your aims for development are and to reflect on what you do well and what you are hoping to improve. Next you will need to consider different strategies using the evidence available and decide what will work for your individual setting. Consider what impact this could have on the children’s learning and development and if it will help you to work towards your aims. Once you have implemented a strategy, ensure you regularly monitor and review progress. The Education Endowment Foundation has a useful Guide to Effective Professional Development in the Early Years which supports you to ensure professional development is relevant and effective.

What can the Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs offer?

A great place to start is getting in touch with your regional Early Years Stronger Practice Hub. Alongside wider work supporting the sector, they often have childminder champions who are committed to sharing their own experiences, as well as training and CPD that can enhance your practice.

Annette Kingsley Smith, Childminder and Childminder Strategic Partner for London South Early Years Stronger Practice hub, says “if you are thinking of engaging with your local Stronger Practice Hub, don’t be shy. One of my roles is to facilitate a safe professional space to talk about anything related to childminding, no question is too big or small. We will help answer your question, work through it, signpost you, and discuss evidence informed practice. There is a wealth of information online including training and opportunities to engage”.

The SPH website has a wide variety of resources to support the development of your practice. From blogs and case studies to webinars and publications, there is a whole host of topics to explore where like-minded practitioners share their good practice, challenges, and success stories. Spend some time exploring the website and finding the resources that fit with your settings ethos and aims. The SPH website is sure to have something to support you, capture your interest, and ignite your passion. As a starting point, you may want to check out these:

Blog: Engaging young children in positive interactions East of England Early Years Practice Hub
YouTube: Never miss a thing! REACHout – Early Years Stronger Practice Hub East of England
Resource: Rhymes and finger plays booklet – HEART – Midlands Early Years Stronger Practice Hub
Publication: Internet safety: A Quick Reference Guide Thames Valley Early Years Stronger Practice Hub
Case study: Teaching and Modelling Social Communication Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Early Years Stronger Practice Hub

The Early Years Evidence Store

As well as a host of resources sharing good practice, you can also access the Early Years Evidence Store through the SPH website. The Evidence Store has been developed by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to support the SPHs and the wider early years sector. It is an evidence-based framework of what works to support child outcomes, designed to underpin the work of the Hubs and to support practitioners to translate evidence into practice.

There are currently four themes you can explore in the Evidence Store, with plans to add more soon:

Communication and language
Personal social and emotional development
Early literacy
Early mathematics

These four themes have been prioritised post Covid-19, and each one offers evidence informed strategies to support you to deliver quality early years education and care, including exemplification materials showcasing a range of approaches under each theme.

Next steps

Practitioners should make the most of what their regional Hub has to offer. Your next steps could include:

Contact your regional Hub. You can find their contact details through the SPH website
Explore the resources on the SPH website, including those of your regional Hub as well as the other hubs across England.
Explore the Evidence Store and use the evidence informed strategies found here to support you to develop your practice.
Engage with your Hub and other childminders and early years professionals in your region to share best practice and support.

Keep a list of the CPD you have undertaken which can include reading of blogs and articles as well as engagement in Hub work.