Ranked 1st in the UK for Teaching Quality (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)

Why study this course

Earn While You Learn: This programme allows you to continue working or volunteering while pursuing your degree, providing you with valuable practical experience alongside your academic studies.

High Student Satisfaction: The National Student Survey in 2022 revealed an impressive satisfaction rate of 96.85% among students in professional studies programs, highlighting the quality and effectiveness of our education.

Study with Support from a Research Active Team: You will have the opportunity to study with support from a research-active team, ensuring that you receive the latest insights and developments in the field of early childhood education.

Course summary

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Have you ever thought about working towards a degree, but decided against it as you are already in employment or volunteering and don’t want to give that up? Our FdA Childhood, Youth and Families in Practice course is designed for those working or volunteering with children, young people, families and communities, for example in the youth sector, in residential care, in pastoral roles in schools with children and young people aged 9-24 years.

Key facts

Award

FdA

UCAS code

L595

Duration

2 years

Mode of study

Full-time

Start date

September 2025

Award

Bishop Grosseteste University

Institution code

B38

Apply for this course

When you're ready to apply, the route you take will depend on your personal circumstances and preferred method of study. Click the relevant button below to start your application journey. Please note this course is for September 2025 entry.

About this course

Our Foundation Degree Childhood, Youth and Families is a dynamic and comprehensive program that blends practical experience with campus-based learning sessions, carefully designed to accommodate your existing work or volunteer commitments. With just one weekly on-campus session, you can seamlessly continue your career journey while enhancing your skills and knowledge over a two-year period. It's important to note that this Foundation degree serves as the first two years of a full-time degree program, providing you with a solid foundation for your educational aspirations.

During the first year of the programme, you will embark on a transformative journey into higher education. You'll gain a deep understanding of learning principles and explore the intricate link between theory and practice in meeting the unique needs of children. Our programme empowers you to analyse your role within the early years sector, facilitating your professional growth and development. Additionally, you will delve into modules covering child development and social interactions, enriching your practical knowledge and skills.

As you progress into the second year, you will delve deeper into essential topics. Modules surrounding equality, diversity and anti-oppressive practice will equip you with the tools to create inclusive learning environments and challenge social injustice. You will also focus on developing and supporting children, young people and families in a range of different contexts whilst honing your reflective skills. Moreover, you will have the invaluable opportunity to collaborate with fellow students from diverse backgrounds and related programmes. This collaboration will broaden your perspectives, enhancing your employability and enriching your understanding of working with children, young people and families.

Many of our students on this programme are employed as Teaching Assistants working in a range of contemporary contexts, Early Help Workers, Youth Justice Officers and Youth Workers to name a few. They play a pivotal role in facilitating informal learning opportunities for children, young people and families across the region. The programme is a stepping stone for the BA (Hons) Childhood, Youth and Families in practice Top-Up route.

What you will study

Students on this course currently study some or all of the following modules:

This module provides an induction to higher education set within the context of your own learning and supports the development of academic literacies. The underpinning foundations for professional learning are the focus of ‘Tools for Learning’ including ethical principles and reflection. The module also introduces well-established traditional and contemporary learning theories in relation to higher education. The syllabus will include an induction to the range of learning resources available on campus, through the library and CELT to facilitate development of higher education academic literacy skills. You will practice and develop study skills, and evaluate personal learning, reflection, ethics and development. You will study aspects of well-established learning theory associated with development. You will have an opportunity to evaluate and reflect on your personal learning.

This module provides an induction to higher education set within the context of your own learning and supports the development of academic literacies. The underpinning foundations for professional learning are the focus of ‘Tools for Learning’ including ethical principles and reflection. The module also introduces well established traditional and contemporary learning theories, to support children and young people’s development. You will practise and improve your study skills, as well as analyse your personal learning, reflection, ethics, and progress. You will investigate parts of well-established learning theory related to development, and will have an opportunity to evaluate and reflect on your professional practice. You will also consider the tools and principles relating to reflective communication that support your own and others learning development and achievement.

This Level 4 module introduces you to a range of key thinkers, concepts and ideas in relation to provision and practice developments for children, young people and their families. The module combines a study of historical background about formal and informal provision alongside contemporary thinkers shaping and/or determining 21st Century practice. Concepts are introduced that you can build upon throughout the programme of study. The module enables you to draw on your own practice experiences, encouraging you to critically engage with the theories, concepts and ideas presented to identify strengths, limitations and the applicability to professional practice today.

Although developmental theories of education and learning are used throughout the programme, this module ensures you have a secure grounding in a range of perspectives to enable exploration of theories, principles and policy relating to the development of the individual in society. The module explores the influencing factors on development and how children and young people may be supported. The module enables you to evaluate the impact of development and will include a range of theories and perspectives based in sociology and psychology. There will be opportunities to develop the understanding gained in prior learning of how development can impact on children and young people’s learning. The module introduces you to contemporary concepts and principles of supporting children and young people in a range of practice settings.

This Level 4 module builds on your practice experiences of working in settings with colleagues, children, young people and families alongside professional practice safeguarding training. The aim is therefore to develop and extend knowledge and understanding, particularly in relation to multi-professional approaches required within professional practice, with particular focus on safeguarding of children and/or young people. The module explores and examines empowering relationships within settings and also wider networks of professionals and organisations. Factors are considered which help or hinder effective approaches for working together. The module enables you to draw on your own practice experiences, encouraging you to critically reflect upon your own professional approach alongside building strategies for the future. This is with the aim of equipping you to work effectively with children, young people and families as well as appropriate and/or relevant professionals and/or organisations.

This module explores the influences which impact upon the health of children and young people. You will explore theoretical and practical perspectives of supporting health and well-being, which have influenced policy and practice. You will also reflect upon the importance of health promotion and effective working practices in supporting individual’s mental, physical, emotional and nutritional health needs.

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.

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 develop your understanding and experience of professional practice, building on workplace experiences. The module will provide key theoretical ideas and principles related to reflective practice and professionalism. You will reflect on your own approaches to reflective practice, with particular reference to enabling the voice of children, young people and/or their families to be heard. You will be supported to demonstrate ongoing critical thinking with reflexivity within professional practice. There will be opportunities to consider continuous professional development to gain transferable, intrapersonal, interpersonal skills alongside life-long learning approaches.

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.

Entry requirements

  • Typically, a minimum of one year’s experience in practice.
  • Minimum of two days a week (minimum of 12 hours per week accumulating to 360 hours per year of study in a relevant role, either as an employee or a volunteer).
  • Typically a Level 3 Diploma, NVQs, access to HE programmes, subject/vocational qualifications.
  • Written support from the head teacher/workplace manager in which the applicant works or volunteers.

Further information

Click here for important information about this course including additional costs, resources and key policies.

In accordance with University conditions, students are entitled to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning, RP(C)L, based on relevant credit at another HE institution or credit Awarded for Experiential Learning, (RP(E)L).

How you will be taught

This work-focused degree is a combination of practice-based learning and campus-based sessions which run once a week, so that you are able to continue in employment throughout the course. The degree is designed to improve and develop your personal and professional communication skills, allows you to professionalise your approach and further your personal growth.

You will work with a range of experienced academic staff and be supported through peer-led groups, directed tasks and interactive web-based resources.

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Assessment

Typically, a variety of assessment methods are used including presentations, discussions, debates, poster presentations, essays, portfolios of work, case studies and reflections. All assessments allow you to reflect on your practice and theory as you evidence your learning, building on your personal strengths to develop clear communication skills to share your knowledge and understanding.

Careers & Further study

Many of our Foundation degree graduates take on higher level roles specialising in areas such as family liaison, special education needs, managing settings in youth work, mentoring or roles in the wider community and with local authorities. The degree has evolved to respond to the demand for graduate professionals set by the government through the professionalisation of the children’s and youth workforce.

The majority of students advance onto our Top Up Degrees to take their qualifications to honours degree level. Like the Foundation degree, these Top Up Degrees allow you to study and continue to work.

What Our Students Say

Discover what life is like at Bishop Grosseteste University from our students.

Ethical considerations of doctoral methodologies Podcast

Dr Nyree Nicholson is a Programme Leader on our work-based Foundation Degree programmes. The title of her doctoral research was “Supporting children with identified speech, language and communication needs at two-years-old: voices of early years practitioners”. Nyree utilised a narrative hermeneutic methodology with conversational interviews to explore the lived experiences of fifteen early years practitioners.

Samantha Hoyes is a senior lecturer in Early Childhood Studies and is currently part way through her PhD. Her focus is on working motherhood in the 21st Century and how working mothers make sense of their identities. Applying a post-structuralist feminist approach, Sam has utilised photo elicitation interviews to explore working mothers lived experiences. Sam's sample will consist of 10-15 working mothers living in Lincolnshire with a child/ children aged 0-5 years at the time of data collection. She is currently around halfway through her initial data collection.

In this podcast, Nyree and Sam discuss the methodological approaches taken in the research process and share the ethical considerations they encountered throughout the research process.

For any more question or queries please contact Samantha.hoyes@bishopg.ac.uk and nyree-anne.nicholson@bishopg.ac.uk

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