UON lecturer appointed Co-Chair of national early childhood network

Ensuring the status of early years practitioners is further developed and promoted is the mission statement for one academic with a new, national appointment.

Dr Tanya Richardson – Senior Lecturer in Education (Childhood, Youth and Families) – was recently named Co-Chair of the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN).

The ECSDN works to develop graduate and postgraduate level education, training and research in the field of early childhood studies. The Network has around 70 members from higher education institutions who deliver early childhood studies courses.

Tanya has been a member of the Network for seven years and co-chairs with Philippa Thompson. Her role means she will have joint oversight of the Network’s functions and groups, such as equality and diversity and student’s voice.

Tanya will continue to champion workforce development, including the graduate practitioner competencies that she has worked on for several years.

She will also attend the World Forum on Early Care and Education in May helping to spread the word about early childhood competencies, challenges faced by the profession across the globe and how to raise its profile.

Of her appointment, Tanya said: “I feel humbled and so privileged to have this national recognition from the Network and their trust to work with Philippa to take early childhood studies to where we want the profession and professionals to be.

“I feel like I’m standing on the shoulders of giants and I am looking forward to taking the baton from them to continue their excellent work.”