Start date:September
Institutional code:O10
UAS code: LL53
Duration:2 years full time / 3 years part time
Course type:Full Time and Part Time
Fees per year 2024/25 entry:£7500 Full Time; £5000 Part Time
Fees per year 2025/26 entry:£8000 Full Time; £5334 Part Time
Additional costs per year:Travel costs to and from professional placement locations and field trips. DBS £50
Delivery Method:Face-to-face via Lectures, Seminars and Tutorials
FdA Children and Young People validated by Sheffield Hallam University.
This course is aimed at people who are interested in working with children, young people and their families. The course enables you to study and develop specialist knowledge and skills relating to generic themes and disciplines such as child development, sociology, psychology, education, supporting families and safeguarding. You will develop your independent thinking, analytical and communication skills and this will help you become a clear and confident writer. The course is available in a 2 year full time or 3 year part time route. The part time route is aimed at individuals who are currently employed to work with children, young people or families.
Who is the course for?
Full time route (2 Years):
This route is aimed at individuals who have an interest in developing the knowledge and skills for working with children and young people aged 0-18 years. Previous experience of working with children, young people or families will be advantageous for mature students who may not have the required UCAS points.
Part time route (3 Years):
The course enables those already working with children and young people aged 0-18 or families to further develop their knowledge and skills. This route is designed to enable practitioners to undertake reflective practice with academic application and to further develop their academic and vocational knowledge.
Professional Practice
This module supports students in developing an awareness of professional practice within the children and young people’s workforce. It will develop students’ knowledge around key law and policy considerations. This module has an emphasis on developing students’ reflective practitioner skills, team work skills and to develop their practice through the completion of practical tasks whilst on placement. To complement this module full time students will complete up to 100 hours of professional practice experience.
Keeping Children and Young People Safe
This module supports practitioners to develop essential knowledge and skills around safeguarding.
Academic Skills
This module supports students to develop the academic skills they will need to compete their Higher Education study.
Supporting Families
This module examines the local children and families support services from a range of sociological perspectives. This will include an examination of the role of the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub, Early Help Intensive Family Support, and Children’s Services including Residential Social Work, Looked After Children and Social work. These services will be evaluated in the context of contemporary health and social care policy.
Exploring Behaviour, Development and Transitions
This module explores valuable learning and development and attachment theories to support students to understand the how children and young people develop physically, emotionally and cognitively. Key transitions and how practitioners support children and young people through them will be examined.
Advanced Professional Practice
This module builds on the insight and experience students gained in the Professional Practice module. To complement this module full time students will complete up to 150 hours of professional practice experience. This module supports practitioners to develop valuable insight into their developing interests and practice. Students will be supported in engaging in practitioner research to support the developing professional practitioner.
Education Theory and Policy
This module is concerned with the theory and perspectives of learning and development and will enable students to develop their understanding of the broad spectrum of informal and formal education local practices. This will include schools, youth work and outdoor education including forest school provision.
Mental Health, Wellbeing and Resilience
Drawing on contemporary research and Government Policy this module will critically examine the mental health issues faced by children and young people today. The concept of resilience will be examined and the role of the practitioner will be evaluated.
Leadership and Management
This module builds on the insight and experience students gained in the Professional Practice module. In this module students will develop a critical understanding as to effective management and leadership skills and qualities to ensure positive outcomes for children and young people.
Social Constructs of Children and Young People
This engaging module will focus on issues such as childhood in crisis, children and young people as consumers and investigate how children and young people are viewed over time through historical perspectives, questioning the social construct of children and young people.
Year 1 (PT)
Keeping Children and Young People Safe: This module supports practitioners to develop essential knowledge and skills around safeguarding.
Academic Skills: This module supports students to develop the academic skills they will need to complete their Higher Education study.
Supporting Troubled Families: This module examines the local children and families support services from a range of sociological perspectives. This will include an examination of the role of the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub, Early Help Intensive Family Support, and Children’s Services including Residential Social Work, Looked After Children and Social work. These services will be evaluated in the context of contemporary health and social care policy.
Exploring Behaviour, Development and Transitions: This module explores valuable learning and development and attachment theories to support students to understand how children and young people develop physically, emotionally and cognitively. Key transitions and how practitioners support children and young people through them will be examined.
Year 2 (PT)
Professional Practice: This module supports students in developing an awareness of professional practice within the children and young people’s workforce. It will develop students’ knowledge around key law and policy considerations. It has an emphasis on developing students’ reflective practitioner skills, team work skills and to develop their practice through the completion of practical tasks whilst on placement. Those students participating on a part time route will link their current employment practice to the knowledge gained in this module to enhance their continuing professional development.
Education Theory and Policy: It is concerned with the theory and perspectives of learning and development and will enable students to develop their understanding of the broad spectrum of informal and formal education local practices. This will include schools, youth work and outdoor education including forest school provision.
Mental Health, Wellbeing and Resilience: Drawing on contemporary research and Government Policy this module will critically examine the mental health issues faced by children and young people today. The concept of resilience will be examined and the role of the practitioner will be evaluated.
Year 3 (PT)
Advanced Professional Practice: This module builds on the insight and experience students gained in the Professional Practice module. This module supports practitioners to develop valuable insight into their developing interests and practice. Through this module students will be supported in engaging in practitioner research to support the developing professional practitioner.
Leadership and Management: This module builds on the insight and experience students gained in the Professional Practice module. In this module students will develop a critical understanding as to effective management and leadership skills and qualities to ensure positive outcomes for children and young people.
Social Constructs of Children and Young People: This engaging module will focus on issues such as childhood in crisis, children and young people as consumers and investigate how children and young people are viewed over time through historical perspectives, questioning the social construct of children and youth.
The FdA in Children and Young People course has been designed to be responsive to the local employment, social and environmental needs. The team have strong links with a range of employers from across the Children and Young People’s Workforce and Family Support/ Social Care Services.
The Children and Young People Department at UCO has a strong working relationship between key employer stakeholders:
These working relationships will provide opportunities for a range of quality Education, Children’s Social Care and Youth Work professional practice placements to meet the diverse demands of student needs.
This course gives graduates the skills and knowledge to embark on their journey in careers across a wide range of roles in the children and young people’s sector, including:
Education
Learning Mentors
Teaching Assistant
Behaviour Support worker
Inclusion Worker
Forest School Practitioner
Health
Health Care Support Worker
Community Children’s Healthcare Worker
Social care
Prevention and Early Intervention Worker
Family Support Worker
Residential Support Worker
Early years
Early Years Practitioner
Nursery Manager
Play Worker
Youth Worker
Probation Worker
Please note some of these career paths require further specialist training.
Students are supported throughout the course to develop their academic and professional skills through a number of teaching and learning strategies:
All students will have access to academic skills tutors through the general campus booking system.
Assessment and Feedback:
The students are supported throughout the course to develop their academic and professional skills. Modules will be weighted across personal, professional, employability, transferable skills to gain a balance of theory, practice and knowledge preparing students for further study and/or employment.
Assessment tasks are linked to the learning outcomes for each module and are completed at selected points within the module. A range of assessment methods will be used for the FdA degree, such as:
Full-Time
Normally GCSE English Language or English literature at grade C or grade 4 or above or equivalents*, plus one of the following
64 UCAS points with at least 24 points from one full A level or equivalent BTEC National qualification. We accept AS levels. We accept General Studies.
T-Level qualification in a relevant subject. Access to HE Diploma from a QAA recognised Access to HE course in social science, health studies, health science, nursing or another relevant course. Normally we require 15 credits at level 2 and 45 at level 3.
*GCSE English
Desirable
GCSE Maths at grade C or above or equivalents;
Students who have not yet got a Grade C or above will be encouraged to take a maths qualification whilst completing their studies at UCO.
Part-Time
You need to demonstrate experience of working with children, young people or families in a paid, voluntary or caring capacity, and provide a reference from a current or recent employer or educational institution.
Normally GCSE English Language or English literature and mathematics at grade C or grade 4 or above or equivalents*, plus one of the following
64 UCAS points with at least 24 points from one full A level or equivalent BTEC National qualification. We accept AS levels. We accept General Studies.
Access to HE Diploma from a QAA recognised Access to HE course in social science, health studies, health science, nursing or another relevant course. Normally we require 15 credits at level 2 and 45 at level 3.
*GCSE English
Desirable
GCSE Maths at grade C or above or equivalents;
Students will be encouraged to undertake maths qualification whilst completing their studies at UCO.