Practitioner voice has been absent from debates regarding what constitutes professional behaviour and practice in the early years. This research identifies and uses the professional knowledge of a group of early years educators to create a typology of professionalism. The typology comprises seven inter-related dimensions of early years professionalism: 1) knowledge, 2) qualifications, training and professional development, 3) skills, 4) autonomy, 5) values 6) ethics and 7) rewards. This typology of professionalism was derived during a two-phase study and aims to contribute to ongoing debates about what constitutes professional practice within and across the early years (birth to five years). Phase 1 comprised a sample of 12 early years educators in England, from a range of professional backgrounds, and Phase 2 returned for further reflections to nine of this sample, six years later. They talked about their best work for children and their families and how this developed over time. Their perceptions of children’s needs were at the heart of their professionalism and they interpreted policy and curriculum in ways that they believed met those needs. Their views on professionalism remained constant during both phases of research despite a shifting policy scene in early years.

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An evaluation of the National Year of Reading in Yorkshire was conducted by Leeds Metropolitan University in response to a brief from Museums, Libraries and Archives, Yorkshire. This paper outlines the development and planning of phase one of this small scale qualitative research project and the analysis of the initial results which looks at the impact of NYR on the organisations that delivered the campaign and their work with target groups. The Generic Social Outcomes and the National Indicators were used to develop a theoretical framework. Data were gathered via in depth interviews and focus groups with NYR steering group partners in Calderdale and North Lincolnshire, selected as the two case study authorities. The use of MAXQDA computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) enabled data and coding structures to be stored and will facilitate comparison in this longitudinal study. This evaluation will provide material that local library authorities can use for advocacy with a range of audiences including local and central government.