Research project
Early Years Employment Research Hub
- Start date: 1 August 2023
- End date: 1 August 2033
- Principal investigator: Professor Kate Hardy, Dr Xanthe Whittaker, Professor Jenny Tomlinson
- Co-investigators: Dr Helen Norman
- Research assistants: Frankie Mullin
Description
The Early Years Employment (EYE) Research Hub is based at Leeds University Business School. The hub is a membership-based consortium made up of actors with an interest in early years education and care, including policymakers, providers and professional associations, and researchers.
The aim of the EYE Hub is to support the development of research and evidence-based policy and tackle the workforce challenges faced in this area through connecting and proactively developing long-term partnerships between sectoral actors from a wide range of perspectives.
The Hub intends to bring those actors into conversation and create opportunities for coordination and collaboration on research into early years employment and to provide networks and resources.
Objectives
- Connect EY actors with researchers and relevant EY workforce research
- Provide members with access to state-of-the-art data and data analysis
- Support and provide research and consultancy
- Share information
- Facilitate knowledge exchange through events such as webinars and conferences, and publicising affiliate events
Core principles
- Cross-sectoral collaboration and cooperation
- Robust research which upholds high ethical standards
- Evidence-based policy development.
Key bodies
The EYE Research hub is made up of two key bodies – a Steering Committee, which oversees its activities, and a Research Network for research dissemination and knowledge exchange, with a website to publicise and share its activities.
EYE Steering Committee
This is a small, decision-making consortium comprised of key sector and policy actors and academics, which can be drawn upon for:
- advice and co-production on research bids
- peer-review
- dissemination of research to sectoral constituencies
- joint submissions (e.g. parliamentary inquiries, etc)
The board will meet at least twice a year. Once in-person in London with a hybrid option, and once online. The focus will be on discussing priorities for EY workforce scholarship and the content would be timed to facilitate discussion of submissions to, e.g. Spending Reviews, or other important calls for evidence.
Research network
If you would like to join the broader research network, please get in touch with Professor Kate Hardy (k.r.hardy@leeds.ac.uk).
Current research projects
Founding members of the EYE Hub are currently undertaking a research project into workforce issues, working conditions, and recruitment and retention in the early years sector.
We have surveys for staff and managers, in which you can also sign up for paid participation in interviews and focus groups.
Related research projects
Childcare during Covid, funded by the ESRC/UKRI.
Impact
The EYE Research Hub is a sponsor of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Early Education and Childcare.
Publications and outputs
Reports:
-
“Retention and return: Delivering the expansion of early years entitlement in England”, November 2023
Media:
- “Parents will pay for Hunt overpromising on childcare”, The Independent (print), November 2023
- “How minimum wage rises will affect the early years education and childcare sector”, The Conversation, November 2023
- “Staff exodus could hinder expansion of free childcare in England, providers say”, The Guardian, November 2023
- “The Guardian view on public sector work: the nursery shortage points to a deeper crisis”, The Guardian, November 2023