The Early Years Professional (EYP) graduate scheme was supported by the majority of parents in a survey carried out by the Children's Workforce Development Council.

About seven out of 10 parents of children in childcare or due to attend a nursery said they would prefer their child to attend a setting where an EYP led on child development. This included the quarter of those surveyed who had heard of the status and the three-quarters who were hearing about it for the first time.

Just over a third of parents said they had moved their child from a nursery. Of these, 12 per cent said it was because they felt staff were not sufficiently qualified.