Low pay has bedevilled the early years workforce since Nursery World began publishing in 1925. But the low pay:low qualifications equation can no longer hold in 2008, with the drive towards a graduate-led profession in top gear. As the new report from Daycare Trust and the TUC points out, achievements in pushing up quality and professionalism could be jeopardised if the issue of poor pay is not tackled (see Analysis, pages 14-15). It is heartening to see thousands of practitioners achieving Early Years Professional Status, but will the sector hold on to these highly-qualified staff if wages...