Interview: Give private sector a say - Purnima Tanuku, chief executive, National Day Nurseries Association

Just one day after she started as chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, the Government published its children's workforce strategy. Now is the time for public, private and voluntary organisations to work together in genuine partnership, says Tanuku, who feels this is the way forward for workforce reform and the Government's 10-year childcare strategy.

The workforce document outlines models for a new early-years professional; a pedagogue model based on Europe's experiences and a new form of pre-school teacher. But while Tanuku welcomes the drive towards a highly qualified, professional workforce in England, in some ways she is more worried about the journey than the result. "There will be a transition period and all providers will have to manage workforce issues in the mean time," she says. "It is the 'how' bit that concerns me, rather than what the model will be."