Just elaborating a bit...

...on that qualifications thing I mentioned below.

Do I think that the qualifications I have done through Playcentre have made me a better parent and a more skillful practitioner? Yes. But only relative to my former self. Just because I have reached a certain level doesn't mean that I am more effective than someone at our Centre who has a smaller number beside their name. Early childhood stuff doesn't come naturally to me. I'm passionate about it at the moment because I am mother to three small people. But I have no doubts that there are people with less training than me who would do (and do do) an equal or better job of it.

So while I have great respect for training (and academic training), it can give such an incomplete picture.

If only assessing competence were as simple as following the equation of qualifications times years experience....