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Working with Children, Young People and Families with a Foundation Year - BA (Hons) *

Currently viewing course to start in 2024/25 Entry.

Our BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People and Families course has at its heart a strong commitment to social justice and equalities....

  • Level Foundation
  • Study mode Full Time
  • Location City South
  • School School of Education and Social Work
  • Faculty Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences

This course is:

Open to International Students

Overview

Our BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People and Families course has at its heart a strong commitment to social justice and equalities. We will provide you with a range of teaching and learning experiences to build on your existing skills and motivation so that you can contribute to a changing society, particularly with services who work with, or for, vulnerable children, young people and their families.   

Why choose a foundation year course?

The BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People and Families with a Foundation Year course has been specifically designed to support your transition to degree-level study in Education. As a student, you will undertake a foundation year situated at level 3 study, which has been designed as a prelude to your chosen degree course, providing opportunities for you to develop your knowledge, skills and understanding. Your learning journey through your foundation year will provide a secure platform on which you can build throughout your academic career in higher education.   

As part of the foundation year, you will explore and develop number of essential academic, interpersonal and professional skills that will help you succeed in your future degree level studies.   

On successful completion of your foundation year, you are guaranteed to progress on to the first year of the BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People and Families degree. If you are interested in progressing on to one of our other Education and Social Work degrees, this will be subject to space available on those courses and on meeting the relevant entry requirements, which may include passing an interview.  

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

With a focus on personal, as well as professional development, our programme will engage you in understand the complexities of working with children young people and their families, in theory and in practice.  We want to support you so that you can develop to become effective agents of change, making a difference to vulnerable children and young people.  

The rights of children and young people, and a commitment to social justice are at the centre of what we believe, teach and research. 

As you progress through the programme you will become confident and competent advocates of children and young people; developing your personal and professional skills so that you can, in future careers, be influential in developing practice, provision and policy.

Through a supportive and nurturing learning environment, you will be encouraged to develop your communication skills, drawing on digital technologies and to take ‘risks’ as you explore and find out new things about Working with Children, Young People and Families, as well as yourself.

Experienced tutors on the programme come from a wide range of professional backgrounds and are research active, understanding the demands of study, work and family life.  The programme draws on experienced professionals from the field of education, social work and health.  They are committed to the same agenda of social justice, social mobility and social responsibility that forms the underpinning philosophy of the programme.

Why Choose Us?

  • Strong commitment to social justice and children’s rights
  • Opens doors to a range of careers linked to vulnerable children and young people
  • Opportunities for placement, locally and internationally
  • Practice led by research active tutors from a range of professional backgrounds
  • Range of opportunities to develop professional as well as academic skills to be work ready.

    Open Days

    Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to meet us in person. Booking for the next event isn’t open yet. Register your interest below and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.

    Next Open Day: 29 June 2024

    Register your interest

    Entry Requirements

    These entry requirements apply for entry in 2024/25.

    All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.

    80 UCAS tariff points

    If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

    Fees & How to Apply

    Please select your student status to view fees and apply
    • UK Student
    • International Student

    UK students

    Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

    Award: BA (Hons)

    Starting: Sep 2024

    • Mode
    • Duration
    • Fees
    • Full Time
    • 1 year foundation followed by 3 year degree
    • £9,250 in 2024/25
    • Apply via UCAS

    International students

    Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

    Award: BA (Hons)

    Starting: Sep 2024

    • Mode
    • Duration
    • Fees
    • Full Time
    • 1 year foundation followed by 3 year degree
    • £16,085 in 2024/25

    Access to computer equipment

    You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms.

    Printing

    You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment.

    Field trips

    All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees.

    Access to Microsoft Office 365

    Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation.

    Key Software

    You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research.

    Key subscriptions

    Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library.

    DBS check

    You will require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for this course. Your first DBS check is included in your fees.

    Placement expenses (mandatory)

    Placements are a compulsory element of many health and teacher training courses. You'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst living or working away from home.

    Excess printing (optional)

    Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet.

    Books (optional)

    All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. You may choose to purchase a copy.

    Field trips (optional)

    This course includes the option of additional trips that may enhance your experience, at extra cost.

    Subscriptions (optional)

    You may wish to purchase subscriptions to additional journals and websites.

    Accommodation and living costs

    The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

    Guidance for UK/EU students

    UCAS

    UK and EU students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.

    The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.

    Applying through UCAS
     Register with UCAS
     Login to UCAS
     Complete your details
     Select your course
     Write a personal statement
     Get a reference
     Pay your application fee
     Send UCAS your application

    Course in Depth

    Foundation Year

    In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).

    Year One

    In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).

    Year Two

    In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).

    Year Three

    In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).

    Download course specification

    Download now

    Course Structure for BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People and Families

    You will experience a wide variety of learning and teaching approaches that are designed to develop your confidence, knowledge and skills as you progress through the programme.  We will support you as you make the transition to university through carefully planned induction processes.  This will include social and group work activities, confidence building activities and a scaffolded approach so you can understand the thinking behind how your modules and assessments are planned.  Managing your transition to Higher Education is more than just a week of activities so we have generated a core module that goes through the whole of the first year to support your developing personal, professional and academic skills.

    Some modules are shared with students on other programmes in the department.  For example when thinking about safeguarding and child protection there are common themes and common professional skills required, regardless of the age range you are focussing on.  This is one module that would be shared with students studying Early Childhood Studies.  We believe that whilst it is good to have a focus on your particular field of study, sometimes your learning experience can be enhanced by working with others who are exploring different, but similar contexts.  For this reason there are 40 credits of shared modules between your BA Hons Working with Children, Young People and Families and the BA Hons Early Childhood Studies in each year. Placement is an integral part of the programme, there will be chances in your first year to explore and find out information about a range of services that work with, or for, children, young people and families, and to visit and shadow professionals working in this field .

    In the second year of the programme you will have the opportunity to undertake a placement in a related service that may focus on education, health or social care for children, young people and their families. We hope that the professional relationships you develop in the first year will enable you to identify a partner who is able to support you on your professional journey, or who may be willing to support one of your peers.  We already have good links with a number of partners who can facilitate a placement experience where you can learn from practice.

    In your third year your research module Researching Children and Young People’s Services will enable you to carry out a project that requires implementation of a negotiated idea, making change and evaluating the impact of change.  All of which develop essential skills for leaders and managers of Children’s Services.

    As well as learning through practice a variety of approaches to teaching are used.  This will include:

    • Workshops
    • Virtual Learning Environment - Shareville
    • Lectures
    • Seminars
    • Group projects
    • Guest speakers –often professionals
    • Visits to settings and services

    Employability

    Enhancing Employability Skills

    A Birmingham City University Graduate is professional and work-ready, a creative problem solver, enterprising and has a global outlook.  This expectation is realised through the BA Hons Working with Children, Young People and Families programme which provides you with the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of vulnerable children, young people and their families. 

    Transferable skills are considered very highly throughout the programme should you decide not to work directly with children and young people in the future.  We have embraced the Graduate + scheme  and there are opportunities throughout the programme for you to receive credit for developing your employability skills. 

    We have a commitment to learning for life and actively encourage you to develop your own research skills and to pursue your learning journey by building on your first degree to Masters level and beyond.  From induction through to your final module your tutor team will support you in exploring career pathways linked to vulnerable children, young people and their families. Working closely with local services will enable you to network and find out what it is like to work in the field.

     

    Placements

    Placement is an integral part of the programme, there will be chances in your first year to explore and find out information about a range of services that work with, or for, children, young people and families, and to visit and shadow professionals working in this field – this is so you can not only develop professional skills but can also find out about the wide range of professional careers open to you. 

    It also about developing transferable skills so that after you have completed your degree you already have a strong CV that makes you really employable.  Later on you will have the opportunity to undertake a placement in a related service that may focus on education, health or social care for children, young people and their families. In your final year you will be able to carry out an evaluative study that will be work based.

    More about our placement opportunities

    International

    Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

    The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

    Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

    Facilities & Staff

    Our facilities

    Our School of Education and Social Work is based at our City South campus in leafy Edgbaston.

    We’ve spent £41million expanding the education facilities at City South. These facilities offer hands-on practical experience, replicating the spaces you will come across in professional practice. Alongside classrooms and lecture theatres, we also have a range of specialist teaching and learning spaces for specific subjects including science, design and technology, drama and physical education.

    As well as subject-specific rooms, our facilities include the Primary Innovation Lab, which houses £24,000 worth of LEGO. This room is a special resource for our education students, offering an innovative and creative way to approach subjects across the curriculum – from computing to English, mathematics to art. The lab responds to research that children and young people learn best from practical experience.

    Our Social Work students have access to a home environment room and mock hospital wards which offer an opportunity to gain experience of working with service users in different situations.

    Computer facilities

    The Seacole building has two open-access IT Suites which offer PCs, printers, photocopiers and scanners. There is also an IT Helpdesk for quick and easy help with your computing or internet issues.

    Our PCs utilise the latest Intel i5 core technology, all with:

    • Fast (unrestricted) internet connectivity
    • Ability to save files to USB, DVD & CD
    • Microsoft Office software
    • Research and statistical software
    • Storage space which can be accessed from any PC across the University and from home

    Our PCs are also designed to support students who may have difficulties with reading and writing, featuring specialised software with zooming/magnification and screen reading capabilities, which may also be customised for individual student needs.

    In addition to desktop PCs, we also offer a laptop loan facility, allowing students to borrow a laptop for up to six hours while on campus.

    Our staff

    Julie Davis

    Foundation Year Lecturer

    Julie joined the ADD (Academic Development Department) in 2018 as a Lecturer on the HELS Foundation Year programme. Prior to joining Birmingham City University, she worked at a number of local FE and HE institutions where she developed and delivered a range of Early Years and Education programmes.

    More about Julie

    Jessica Lowe

    Foundation Year Lecturer

    Jessica joined the ADD (Academic Development Department) in 2019 as a Lecturer on the HELS Foundation Year Programme. Her role is to lead and develop modules to support students on their journey on the Foundation Year Programme. Prior to joining BCU, she has worked in a FE and HE institution teaching students on a range of courses in Early Years...

    More about Jessica