COURSE IN DEPTH
Foundation Year
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
Academic Skills for Success
20 credits
This module is designed to support you in your transition to studying in a Higher Education environment at Birmingham City University. Through a range of class-based group and individual activities, discussions, debates, personal reflection and wider reading and research, you will have opportunities to consider academic conventions, which include: effective use of literature; sourcing and reviewing information; various forms of academic writing; developing reflective capacity. You will also receive guidance on study skills and strategies, which will enhance previously acquired skills.
Interpersonal Skills and Professional Behaviours
20 credits
This module will focus on enabling you to gain a deeper understanding of the interpersonal skills and behaviours required to work in your chosen area. Through a range of class based and student focused activities you will explore the different concepts of effective interpersonal and professional behaviours essential to your own personal development and progression. By engaging in this module you will reflect on your own and others values, beliefs and behaviours identifying how this can impact on the way in which you will be viewed by others. You will also address the importance of effective communication and how this can lead you to have a more professional approach in your chose area of work.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity
20 credits
This module is designed to help you gain awareness and understanding of current challenges around Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity and how this impacts upon the Health, Education and Social Sciences sector, preparing you for your future education and journey into practice. Introducing the Equality Act 2010 as the overarching legislation that focuses on Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity, the module is based on themes that are covered by this Act. The nine protected characteristics, upon which a person can be discriminated, as laid down in the Equality Act, will be discussed throughout and you will be introduced to case studies relevant to your chosen pathways.
Negotiated Studies
20 credits
This module is designed to support you in your transition to studying in a Higher Education environment at Birmingham City University, allowing you the opportunity to negotiate learning of a bespoke subject. Under the guidance of tutors, you will be able to direct your learning and identify relevant learning opportunities that you feel enable you to learning more about a specific field of study. The subject area within this module is student-led, with guidance and facilitation from designated academic and practice support. You will identify an area of study that you would like to review and evaluate, and which relates to your foundation year pathway and indicate programme.
Birmingham’s Children and Society
20 credits
This module will be studied in Semester 1 and provides opportunities for you to develop an understanding of children and society in Birmingham. As the country’s second city, Birmingham offers a rich context for your studies and provides a perfect example of the ways in which children and society inter-relate. You will also be laying foundations for your future studies by gaining knowledge of the environments affecting your chosen degree discipline. No matter where you are from, exploring the ways in which a highly diverse city such as Birmingham provides for the needs of children will provide an invaluable insight.
Policy and Politics
20 credits
This module will be studied in Semester 2 and provides opportunities for you to develop an understanding of the politics and policies that impact society, childhood and education. Key aspects of working practice in the disciplines listed above are determined by the policies that come from the government; in the majority of cases, a government department oversees and regulates practice through its policies. This modules will explore the way in which the British constitution works, how policy making takes place and the impact that this has on society, childhood and education. The module will also consider the political spectrum and the way that this impacts policy. Importantly, as someone considering moving into the areas of study outlined above, you will also have the opportunity to consider your own perspectives and the ways in which you have been influenced by policy and politics, and the ways in which you might go on to affect them as a citizen and as a member of a given profession.
Year One
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
Working as a Professional
40 credits
This first module will explore the potential career pathways for your programme and the necessary skills, values and attributes to be a successful professional within a range of children services. Using this as the context, you will reflect on and identify your existing skills and identify the skills necessary to be a successful student of Higher Education as part of your journey through to professional employment.
Foundations of Education
20 credits
This module acts as an introduction to education in the UK. To this end, we start with a look at the structure of educational as a whole, the different paths of education, and the legislation governing education. From this initial overview we examine different understandings of how children and young people learn including some of the most common learning theories. This opens the way for us to consider some of the barriers children and young people face in education, including issues such as racism, gender, and disability. Finally, we explore the ways professionals, parents and others can support children and young people in education.
Foundations of Health
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the programme this module will explore the ways in which child health and wellbeing can be promoted across all agencies. You will be provided with the knowledge and skills to understand a range of contributory factors that influence children and young people’s health and wellbeing and the ways these may impact on their lives.
Foundations of Social Work
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the programme, this module provides you with an understanding of key theories, policy and legislation relating to social work with children, young people and families.
It is intended you will gain an overall understanding of the role of social workers and good safeguarding practice with children, young people and families. In more detail you will gain knowledge of assessment tools and their application in practice across in a variety of children and families settings. There will be opportunity to develop report writing skills based on case studies, which could be applied in practice.
Interdisciplinary Working
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the programme, this module encourages you to become confident professionals and to recognise the value of interdisciplinary working with children, young people, families and professionals. It is intended that this module will support you to develop your intellectual capabilities by encouraging you to work together and identify benefits and challenges of an interdisciplinary approach.
Year Two
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
Safeguarding and Child Protection
20 credits
This module will explore safeguarding and child protection including the necessary skills, values and attributes to be a successful professional working with a range of children’s services.
You will build on your previous learning by focusing on the roles and responsibilities of professionals in a safeguarding context. This will include key legislation, policy and evaluate processes that exist to support children who have or are likely to suffer significant harm. You will consider discrimination, which affects individual children, young people and families.
Research as a Driver for Policy, Practice and Provision
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the programme, this Level 5 module encourages and supports you to become a confident and reflective researcher and to recognise the value of conducting research within relevant children’s services. You will be given the opportunity to explore and experience what it feels like to work within small research cluster groups. During this process, the module will support you to engage in a critical analysis of contemporary issues and debates in research, policy and practice related to your field of study. You will work collaboratively to identify and then design a small scale study to explore one of these issues.
Social Justice and Inclusion
20 credits
The module will provide opportunities for you to explore issues of social justice and inclusion in diverse social and educational contexts from both the UK and International perspectives. You will be exploring theoretical perspectives of "social justice" in the development and delivery of children and family services; for example, Public Health initiatives, schools, education and care services. The theories of inclusion, social exclusion, discrimination and institutional discrimination, will be approached through a critical review of concepts and examination of local, national and international policy and practice.
Effective Collaborative Practice
40 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the programme, this module encourages you to become confident professionals and to recognise the value of effective collaborative practice when working with children, young people, families and professionals. It is intended that this module will support you to develop your intellectual capabilities by encouraging you to work together and identify benefits and challenges of an effective collaborative practice.
Learning from Practice
20 credits
This module aligns to the overall philosophy and aims of BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People and Families programme. It enables you to consolidate your experiences in placement. It provides you with the knowledge to understand the complexities of professional roles within the work place and the importance of adopting a professional stand at all times. It enables you to demonstrate the skills needed to work in a professional context and how your skills and attributes need to be developed for future employment. It develops further your knowledge, understanding and application of relevant, current legislation and policy frameworks. It provides the opportunity to work effectively with different service users and to understand their needs.
Year Three
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
Exploring Contemporary Perspectives
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the programme, this module will respond to contemporary perspectives and issues affecting children, young people, families and communities. A strong commitment to inclusive values will be reinforced and will empower you to address issues of equality, disadvantage, diversity and social justice to optimise the life chances of children, young people and their families. In line with the learning, teaching and assessment strategy, the module will be interactive, engaging and challenging; designed to promote your independence and confidence to enable you to be an advocate for children, young people and families and an agent for change. The module is highly responsive to changes and developments, and will provide you with an in depth understanding of how issues may impact your work in your chosen field.
Personal and Professional Development
20 credits
This Level 6 module will further explore the potential career pathways and enable you to manage the next steps in your career. As you prepare to finish your programme it will enable you to practice and develop key skills necessary as you seek employment or post graduate study.
You will have the opportunity to identify, reflect on and develop a range of effective professional skills, practicing them through work based real life projects such as applying for jobs, interviewing, recruitment and selection processes. Using services for children and families as the context you will meet with a range of key stakeholders including recruitment companies, careers services, post graduate programme leaders and leaders and managers in services that work with and for children and their families.
Children and Young People’s Rights and Identity
20 credits
This module aligns to the overall philosophy and aims of the BA (Hons) Working with Children Young People and Families Programme. It enables you promote the voice of children and young people, and to have a critical overview of the national and international legislative and policy framework that promotes their rights and identity.
Global Perspectives of Families and Parenting
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the programme, this module will focus on perspectives and issues affecting families and parenting. It will support you to examine confidently global perspectives with regard to families and parenting. This module will enable you to debate the ethical implications of families and parenting from a global perspective. You will engage in thought provoking debate. In line with the learning, teaching and assessment strategy, the module will be interactive, engaging and challenging, designed to promote your independence and confidence in considering challenging topics.
Researching Children and Young People’s Services
40 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the programme, this Level 6 module enables and supports you to conduct a small scale piece of individual (action) research that attends and adheres to key ethical principles. This module encourages you to engage in independent as well as collaborative critical analysis of contemporary issues and debates in policy and practice. You will be provided with an opportunity to clarify your understanding of key research terms, as well as to consider the link between epistemology, methodology and methods and the impact that your own personal philosophies have upon the design of your action research study.
