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Professional Practice with Children & Young People

Attendance

Campus

Start

Duration

1 Year

Start

September 2024

Delivery

Campus Taught

Our MA Professional Practice with Children and Young People course offers an ideal development opportunity for graduates and current practitioners.

This course will develop your ability to become a more critical and innovative practitioner. You’ll gain specialist knowledge in children’s rights and participation, safeguarding, and a broad range of practical, legal and theoretical approaches.

Over the last three decades, there have been major developments in services for children, young people, their families and carers. This has led to new approaches to working and different expectations about the knowledge, skills and values needed by people to work effectively across the full range of children’s services. Integrated and multi-agency working, listening to children and young people’s voices, respecting diversity, and facilitating inclusive practice are just some of the skills and values which underpin the development of a professional and skilled children and young people’s workforce.

This course is timely in responding to government demands to raise the status and accreditation of those with responsibilities for the education and care of young children. It is also helping to ensure that best practice is informed by research, local expertise and international contexts.

Why study with us

You’ll gain an in-depth understanding of current research, policies and contemporary debates surrounding practice in children and young people’s services.
You’ll get the opportunity to critically reflect on your own practice and bring about positive change in the delivery of services to children and young people.
The staff who deliver this course are recognised practitioners and academics in their fields. The team includes staff who regularly publish for leading journals in social work, health, education, children’s rights and sociology.

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What you'll do

You’ll develop and enhance your leadership and decision-making skills so that you have the confidence to resolve complex safeguarding situations involving children and young people.
We’ll equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to undertake independent research in this field.
The course covers the full breadth of children’s services, including early years, education, social work, social care, health and community work, and gives you the opportunity to focus your learning on your own areas of interest and expertise.

Module overview

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Year 1

Compulsory modules

SW4033: Safeguarding Children
SW4085: Theorising Childhood and Adolescence
SW4821: Ethical research with children and young people
SW4822: Transforming Practice with Children and Young People
SW4823: Dissertation/Project

Optional modules

SW4032: Childhood in Law and Welfare
SW4701: ASYE: Demonstrating Capability in Social Work Practice

SW4033: Safeguarding Children

This module will provide learning opportunities and development for you to acquire knowledge in practice and policy which safeguards children. You will acquire the tools to understand safeguarding children with diverse needs including those arising from domestic violence, disability and minority ethnic perspectives.

SW4085: Theorising Childhood and Adolescence

This module aims to encourage those working, or planning to work, with children to develop critical perspectives on childhood. The module will consider dominant theoretical positions about childhood and critically explore how such perspectives impact on the way children are treated in our society, including the extent to which their rights are supported.

SW4822: Transforming Practice with Children and Young People

You'll strengthen the connections between theory and practice, and develop your ability to critically analyse practice settings relating to children, families and young people. You'll be able to analyse existing practices, explore evidence-based to alternatives, and propose ways of transforming practice to improve the experiences of children and young people.

Course delivery

Following the pandemic, we have found that some courses benefit from a blended learning and teaching approach. Therefore, the majority of your teaching will be face-to-face on campus, with some online teaching where we have learnt it works best.

70%Face-to-face

30%Online

Please note the delivery information for this course is accurate for the academic year 2023/24. The information displayed in this section may not yet accurately reflect how the course will be delivered in 2024/25 but this information will be updated by October 2023.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Looking to start your postgraduate journey?

Our range of subjects and study modes can support your goals, take your next step with a postgraduate degree.

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Zoe teaches across child-related undergraduate and postgraduate courses within the School of Social Work Care and Community. Her teaching focuses on theories of childhood and inclusion, reflecting her research interests. Zoe's research to date has focused the transitional experi...

With a particular expertise in Social Policy, Housing and Homelessness, Mary teaches across a range of subjects within the School.

Industry links

We have strong links with voluntary and statutory sector providers for children and young people in social work, education and health.

This course is also part of the European Network Of Masters in Children’s Rights. Through this, there are opportunities to engage with international networks.

Future careers

This course will equip you to become an innovative, forward thinking professional who has the skills to bring about positive change in the lives of children and young people by improving standards and service delivery.

Fees and funding

2023/24

Full-time£8,400 per year

Part-time£933 per 20 credits

International

Full-time£15,500 per year

2024/25

Full-time£9,000 per year

Part-time£1,000 per 20 credits

International

Full-time£16,900 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We have a wide range of bursaries, scholarships and funds available to help support you whilst studying with us.

Select your country to see eligibility information and how to apply by selecting more info on the cards below.

Select your country/region

Dependants Bursary
Students with financially dependent children may be eligible for our Dependants Bursary as part of our financial support package. 
Find out more about Dependants Bursary
Carers Bursary
If you need extra support because you have unpaid caring responsibilities alongside your studies.
Find out more about Carers Bursary
Sports scholarships
The University offers opportunities for student athletes to be supported with their aspirations of maintaining their playing career whilst also studying for a high-quality degree.
Find out more about Sports scholarships
Alumni Loyalty Discount
UK students with a previous award from us will receive 20% tuition fee discount.
Find out more about Alumni Loyalty Discount

You’ll get involved in class-based discussions and engage in self-directed study. Throughout the course you’ll have access to a well-stocked library and a wide range of online resources, including the latest journals in the field. Your tutors have a wealth of experience in academia and practice, and some are leading international authors in the field.

You’ll also have the option of:

A module co-taught with children and young people
A work-based learning module
Research
Conferences and seminars

You can also take advantage of our seminar series, organised through the School, where leading international scholars present their latest research to staff, students and practitioners.

For each module you’ll be assessed using a combination of written assignments and presentations. The choice of assignment subject is open, allowing you to focus on a specific area of interest.

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This course is based in the School of Health, Social Work and Sport

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Central Lancashire on our student contract page

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Your saved courses

Professional Practice with Children & Young People

Why study with us

What you'll do

Module overview

Year 1

SW4033: Safeguarding Children

SW4085: Theorising Childhood and Adolescence

SW4821: Ethical research with children and young people

SW4822: Transforming Practice with Children and Young People

SW4823: Dissertation/Project

SW4032: Childhood in Law and Welfare

SW4701: ASYE: Demonstrating Capability in Social Work Practice

Course delivery

Looking to start your postgraduate journey?

View the course facilities

Academic expertise

Industry links

Future careers

Fees and funding

Course Specific Optional Costs

Course Specific Optional Costs

Scholarships and bursaries

Dependants Bursary

Carers Bursary

Sports scholarships

Alumni Loyalty Discount

Learning and assessment