Working with Children, Young People and Families

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of children, young people and their families and carers? Do you want to challenge some of the most complex problems in society, whilst helping individuals to thrive? If so, this course will help you to become a future practitioner who can help bring about positive and sustainable change.

This programme will equip you with the ability to understand what effective practice with families looks like, including the difficulties and challenges of working with children and families, and how to help them fulfil their potential.

You’ll study aspects of child development, looking at how society understands the concept of family and the rights of children. You’ll also look at the complex issue of safeguarding children, models of support such as THRIVE, and consider current legislation and policy initiatives to understand how practitioners can help to protect children.

Utilising cutting edge simulation-based teaching alongside hands-on work experience, you’ll gain first-hand experience dealing with a range of problems that families can face while children are growing up, developing the skills needed to support and empower families, and to deliver therapeutic interventions.

You’ll be equipped with the key professional skills needed for recognising and assessing complex needs, and intervening in children’s lives, especially when in crisis, as well as an understanding of the complexities of multi-agency working. The degree will also prepare you to work across diverse settings, such as family homes, youth centres, youth justice, children's centres, statutory provisions and in the community more widely.

We’ll help you to become a skilled practitioner that supports the confidence and skills of children, young people and families, helping them to overcome barriers and maximise their independence.

This degree will give you the knowledge you need to recognise, navigate and assess the complex needs that children, young people and families often present, especially when in crisis, and will learn how to make referrals to statutory services and plan support interventions.

Using realistic simulated environments, you’ll develop an approach that is respectful, professional and supportive to enable children, young people and their families achieve their potential, whilst staying safe.

You’ll learn the importance of working alongside other professionals, organisations and agencies with the shared responsibility for improving outcomes in specific age groups, across the full age range and specifically with families in community settings. In doing this, you’ll learn how to use evidence-based approaches to inform your judgement, both in simulation and practice.

The BA (Hons) in Children, Young People and Families degree focuses on a number of settings where children and young people may be living on their own or in larger groups, including children’s’ homes, schools, residential special schools and secure children’s homes. In this context, you’ll learn to develop placement plans that will support a child’s health, education, social and day-to-day needs, and the significant role these plans have in helping them to thrive and fulfil their potential.

Alongside these settings, the course also focuses on work within the community. You’ll therefore learn the importance of, and be skilled in, early intervention and safeguarding work, and how to manage risk across the spectrum needs for children, young people and families' in simulated environments.

As well as these practice skills, you’ll also learn about the leadership and management of services, such as residential settings, and will learn about the principles of long-term care and support for children and young people, and the legislation and compliance requirements for running a residential care home. There’s also the opportunity to explore managerial requirements of community-based children, young people and family work including the national systems of social welfare, an exploration of local agencies and community groups and how to conduct a community audit.

Modules**

Year 1

• Communication Skills and Improving Family Communication
• Safeguarding Children
• Safeguarding Adults
• Children, Young People and Families - Policy and Practice
• Supporting Health and Wellbeing
• Personal and Professional Development

Year 2

• Work Experience with Children, Young People or Families
• Inclusive Practice with Children, Young People or Families
• Families: Abuses, Crime, Inequalities or Youth Crime and Justice
• Community Development Work
• Supporting Parents: Conflict Management and Managing Challenging Behaviour
• Preparing for Research with Children, Young People and Families
• Youth Crime and Justice

Year 3

• Vulnerability and Trauma Informed Practice
• Working with Drug Users
• Leadership and Management
• Youth Crime; Gang Associated and Violent Youths
• Managing Activities with Children Young People and Families

** Module structure may be subject to minor changes