Childhood, Youth & Families in Practice (Youth Work with JNC)

Although matters relating to inclusive practice are embedded in all modules, this module offers you the opportunity to study the topic in depth and to critically analyse and apply a range of theories. It will build on the values, beliefs and philosophies explored in Level 4 modules and extend your appreciation of societal inequality. You will develop awareness of issues relating to inclusion, participation and entitlement and the role played by the practitioner in advancing inclusive practice. The module provides an opportunity for you to reflect upon and evaluate your own values and beliefs and how these might affect your practice and the practice of others. You will develop an understanding of the key theories, such as related models, through the examination of historical perspectives and analysis of current practice. Exploration of the implementation of education, health and social policies will be undertaken to understand how provision may support participation and aims to meet a diverse range of needs within society.

This module will provide you with an exploration of the range of skills, knowledge and understanding required to plan, prepare, facilitate and evaluate initiatives targeted at children, young people and families in informal contexts. Throughout the module you will be encouraged to consider and appreciate the scope and limitations of education within a variety of learning environments and organisations. The module explores the complexities and processes of inclusive informal pedagogy in a range of professional environments. Aspects of ethical practice and reflective practice will be explored and evaluated in relation to preventative, developmental and interventionist programmes of informal learning and education.

There will be a series of lectures based on professional studies, enabling you to understand the professional role of the teacher in more depth. You will learn about the legal framework and the larger context within which teachers work, including working with agencies, other staff in school, parents and the wider community, addressing aspects of SCSM and Part II of the Teachers’ Standards, and highlighting safeguarding issues.

This practice-based module is designed to enable you to explore your professional practice working with children, young people and/or families. You have the opportunity to develop and apply knowledge and skills in your practice setting, which will develop and enhance professional formation. The module analyses principles of practice including ethical codes and competence frameworks, which aims to support you to develop your capacity to engage in informed, constructive reflection. This module aims to extend your knowledge and understanding of your role within a professional team and in promoting inclusive practice, equality and diversity. You will reflect on your own learning and intellectual development, making use of constructive feedback.

The Practitioner Research module provides you with the opportunity to design a research project. You will be introduced to the broad principles of research design, by engaging with the process of a literature review, you will develop subject knowledge pertinent to the area of inquiry. Ethical issues will be addressed, including the key principles of informed consent, anonymity and confidentiality. You will be introduced to a range of data collection methods and techniques for analysing and presenting research findings and this will be supported through lectures. You will expected to collect primary data from your fellow students within the class, and will then be guided to write up specific elements of your project for the assessments.

This module introduces you to the planning and design of an independent study and serves as a prerequisite for the Level 6 final independent study module. It introduces you to, and guides you through planning a research question, deciding on an appropriate research method and sample group that will allow you to complete the small-scale research project in Independent Study Part 2 module. In addition, you will create a research proposal by and engage in theoretical and practical principles, as well as learning to recognise your own limitations. The module is based on ethical concepts and policies, and you will study ethical complexity in connection to your chosen research subject and show this by participating in the ethical approval process.

This module will develop your capacity for critical thinking and analysis and encourage you to form and articulate an argument which is robustly supported by relevant sources. The module will enable you to study a pertinent, critical issue within your sector. Taught content will offer examples of current, and potential future issues in the field of early childhood, childhood and youth and education. By exploring a range of issues, the teaching and learning strategy undertakes to present a model of how to select and investigate a critical issue and craft an argument that draws upon (for example) practice-based evidence, national/local statistics, published research and established theory. You will investigate the political, social and/or economic drivers behind your chosen issue and consider the implications for professional practice. These may include, for example, the contribution of multi-agency colleagues, international perspectives and the barriers and affordances of the issue within your own work setting and professional practice.

The module adopts a work-based and problem-solving pedagogy where learning is grounded in the external context of your professional practice. Assessments require application of what is being learnt to your practice context, enabling you to solve real issues from your organisations and reflect on your own work-based experience. The module provides the opportunity to focus in some depth on aspects of professional practice including leadership and management. The module content will involve the study of key aspects of professionalism such as reflective, critical and ethical practice where you will explore relevant theoretical perspectives. Legal frameworks and national standards will be examined in relation to personal competencies and leading practice within settings. Leadership and management theory will be critically evaluated. Interagency and collaborative working will be critically explored and issues of facilitating dynamic change within the sector in response to global and cultural influences will be addressed.

This module explores the historical and socio-economic contexts of childhood and youth and outlines how the changing social and cultural constructions of childhood and youth impact on lived realities in diverse and differing contexts. You will gain knowledge and understanding of the complexities surrounding alternative education and learning, the ideologies and responsibilities for welfare, and the application of these elements in the experiences that effect children’s and young peoples’ lives. The impact of policy and legislation is critically considered using in depth examination of evidence emphasising the importance of meaningful participation and questions the universalised idealisms of young people’s rights and notions of place in a globalised world.

The Independent Study builds on earlier inquiry-based studies and acts as a culmination of studies. This module provides an opportunity for you to carry out a small-scale research project related to your work supporting children, young people and/or families demonstrating the ability to manage your own learning, and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources. The subject is founded on ethical concepts and principles, and you will investigate ethical complexity in relation to your research topic of choice. This module requires you to draw on and apply the broad knowledge-base and research skills that have been developed across your undergraduate studies in a fully developed individual, inquiry-based study. You will review research design, methods, and data collection and analysis tools and software appropriate to practitioner research. Ethical issues will be addressed, including the key principles of informed consent, anonymity and confidentiality. There will be an emphasis on enabling you to demonstrate the limitations and uncertainty of knowledge and the influence of perspective and theoretical approaches on findings and conclusions. The importance of writing with a high degree of accuracy and fluency for an academic audience will be reinforced and made a clear expectation.