course page main image

Working with Children, Young People and Families - BA (Hons)

Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.

Our BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People, and Families is a course with social justice and equality at its heart. It is an exciting, contemporary degree which will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to work effectively with children, young people and families in a range of professional settings....

  • Level Undergraduate
  • Study mode Full Time

This course is:

Open to International Students

Overview

Our BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People, and Families is a course with social justice and equality at its heart. It is an exciting, contemporary degree which will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to work effectively with children, young people and families in a range of professional settings.

The ethos of social justice is woven throughout the theoretical and practical aspects of the course. We will provide you with a range of teaching and learning experiences to build on your motivations and existing skills so that you can contribute positively to a changing society, particularly with services who work with, or for, vulnerable children, young people, and their families.

We recognise the importance of giving you the autonomy to shape your academic path. Alongside essential core components which will ensure you explore the breadth of this subject, you will have choices in your placement settings and optional modules, which will enable you to tailor your degree to your career aspirations as they evolve.

Practical placements are an important part of the course, in each year of the programme you will gain valuable hands-on experience working in a professional setting. This will allow you to apply the theoretical knowledge you have gained in classes to real-life situations, developing the practical skills and competencies essential for you to work in the field.

You will have the opportunity to observe and learn from experienced professionals, gaining insight into best practices, techniques, and approaches used in the field. Your time in practice will also give you the chance to build professional networks and make connections that may prove beneficial when you are looking to move into employment after graduation.

Overall, this course will provide you with a rich and rewarding learning experience that will be invaluable to a range of potential future careers in areas of work with young people, community development and education, youth engagement and inclusion, community cohesion, as well as postgraduate study. Whatever path you choose to pursue on completion of the course, you will take with you a professional practice grounded in the theory and practice of community-based, informal education.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

With a focus on personal and professional development, our course will support you to 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 into an effective agent of change, making a difference to vulnerable children and young people, and providing family support.

Many people who choose to undertake this degree do so because they want to make a difference. The rights of children and young people, and a commitment to social justice, equity, sustainability, anti-discrimination, community empowerment and collective action are at the centre of what we believe, teach and research.

As you progress through the course you will work and learn together with experienced tutors and professionals to become a confident and competent advocate of children and young people, developing your own personal and professional skills so that you can be influential in developing sustainable practice, provision, and policy in your future career.

We will encourage you to develop your communication skills in a supportive and nurturing learning environment. Drawing on our close interaction and partnerships with the sector, as well as digital technologies, case studies and practical experiences, we will help you to take calculated risks as you deepen your knowledge of yourself, alongside your skills and understanding of working with children, young people, and families.

Tutors on the course come from a wide range of professional backgrounds and are research active, understanding the demands of study, work, and family life. They are committed to the agenda of social justice, equity, anti-discrimination, community empowerment, sustainability and collective action that underpins the course.

“The course has helped build my knowledge about children and health, law, education and social skills. It has also helped to build my confidence in working with others and delivering presentations.“
Kerry Mobbs

Why Choose Us?

  • Our teaching is a based on a strong commitment to social justice and children's rights.
  • Opportunities for placement, locally and internationally, from charities such as Barnardo’s, youth work centres, and family support settings, to international placements in places like Spain and Peru through our Go Abroad scheme.
  • Choose your own placement! This gives you scope to go on a placement that is aligned with your specific interests in a location that works for you.
  • Practice led by research active tutors from a range of professional backgrounds
  • Our course is broad enough for you to discover where your passion lies and provides an excellent background to a range of careers linked to vulnerable children and young people, or to go on to gain professional qualifications in teaching or social work, for example.

Similar Courses

Open Days

Join us for an Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation. Booking isn't open yet for this event, register your interest and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.

Next Open Day: 22 March 2025

Register your interest

Entry Requirements

These entry requirements apply for entry in 2025/26.

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.

Essential requirements

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Successful candidates will be required to obtain a satisfactory occupational health check, an enhanced DBS check and registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority prior to enrolling on this course. If you have any queries please refer to DBS Frequently Asked Questions or contact admissions@bcu.ac.uk.

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 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

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 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 3 years
  • £17,690 in 2025/26

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 

If you are required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for this course, the cost for your first DBS check is included in your fees. 

Placement expenses (mandatory) 

Placements are a compulsory element of this course. 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. 

Personal stationery and study materials (optional) 

Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £30 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. 

Accommodation and living costs (optional)

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

Guidance for International students

There are three ways to apply:

1) Direct to the University

You will need to complete our International Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form, and submit them together with scan copies of your original academic transcripts and certificates.

2) Through a country representative

Our in-country representatives can help you make your application and apply for a visa. They can also offer advice on travel, living in the UK and studying abroad.

3) Through UCAS

If you are applying for an undergraduate degree or a Higher National Diploma (HND), you can apply through the UK’s Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

You can request a printed form from your school or nearest British Council office. You will be charged for applying through UCAS. Birmingham City University’s UCAS code is B25 BCITY.

Personal statement

Your personal statement is a highly important part of your application. It gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.

Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:

Course choice

Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?

Career plans

If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.

Work experience

Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.

School or college experience

Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.

Non-accredited skills or achievement

eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.

You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.

Get more information on writing personal statements.

Course in Depth

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 a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules:

Year Three

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules:

Download course specification

Download now

The BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People, and Families is a contemporary and exciting three-year undergraduate programme designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to work effectively with children, young people, and families in a range of professional settings. The course covers both theoretical and practical aspects of working with children, young people, and families with a strong commitment to social justice and equality at its heart. 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 positively to a changing society, particularly with services that work with, or for, vulnerable children, young people and their families.

Many people who choose to undertake this degree do so because they want to make a difference. The rights of children and young people, and a commitment to social justice and equality, sustainability, anti-discrimination, community empowerment, and collective action are at the centre of what we believe, teach and research. As you progress through the course, you will work and learn together with experienced tutors and professionals to become confident and competent advocates for children and young people, developing your own personal and professional skills so that you can be influential in developing sustainable practice, provision and policy in your future careers.

Using a wide variety of learning and teaching approaches, we aim 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, which include social and group work activities, confidence building activities, and a scaffolded approach so you can understand how the course works and is assessed. We have created two core modules, ‘Preparing to Study in Higher Education’ and ‘Self-Awareness for Personal and Professional Growth’, which run in the first semester with the aim of supporting you to manage the transition to Higher Education. These modules aim to provide you with essential skills and knowledge necessary for academic success and personal development, equipping you with the tools needed to navigate the challenges of higher education effectively, fostering a strong foundation for your educational journey and future career aspirations.

Through a supportive and nurturing learning environment, which has close interaction and partnerships within the industry, you will be encouraged to develop your communication skills, drawing on digital technologies, case studies, and practical experiences, to take ‘risks’ as you explore and develop your knowledge and skillset towards working with children, young people, and families, as well as yourself. Experienced tutors on the course come from a wide range of professional backgrounds and are research active, understanding the demands of study, work, and family life. They are committed to the same agenda of social justice and equality, anti-discrimination, community empowerment, sustainability and collective action that forms the underpinning philosophy of the course. As a result of this, we use a wide range of teaching and learning experiences to ensure all learner needs are met, these will include:

  • Lectures
  • Workshops
  • Tutorials
  • Seminars
  • Self-directed group work and projects
  • Visits and exchanges
  • Peer-to-peer learning and discussion
  • Online tools
  • Collective problem-solving and participative enquiry-action learning
  • Practice simulations
  • Practice learning opportunities in lectures
  • Conferences
  • Guest speakers

Employability

Enhancing Employability Skills

A BCU Graduate is professional and work-ready, a creative problem solver, enterprising and has a global outlook.

A wide variety of employability skills are essential for Working with Children, Young People and Families graduates, as the potential employment opportunities are vast. One of the four key themes of the BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People and Families degree is employability, and there is a clear emphasis on employability skills within each module studied across the course. The skills covered are aligned to careers in health, social care and education and have been identified as being key skills for such professionals. The skills foci will be different depending on the module in question, but modules are likely to promote the development of the following skills consistently:

  • Team and group work
  • Presentation
  • Debating
  • Communication
  • Confidence
  • Time management
  • Problem-solving
  • Reflection
  • Self-motivation
  • Resilience

These skills are integrated through seminar tasks and formative assessment methods, with feedback given on the development of these skills, and are also a key focus of Personal Development Tutor (PDT) meetings, with students being asked to reflect on the development of their skills using examples each semester.

Career sessions from BCUs Careers+ team have been embedded across all modules, so that all students benefit from BCUs wider services. Sessions have been designed to increase students’ employability and adapted and focussed on the needs, interests, and year of study. The BCU Graduate+ scheme is also embedded into the course and implemented throughout the employability themed modules. Throughout this degree, students are supported to develop skills that have been aligned to the requirements of relevant sectors whilst the assessments will enhance graduates’ employability.

Placements

Participation in a work placement is essential to this programme, offering invaluable hands-on experience within a professional environment. You will receive assistance in organising a placement during semester one of year one, with your placement scheduled to commence in semester two, followed by a year-long placement in year two, with the possibility of an additional optional placement in year three. During your placements, you'll apply theoretical knowledge acquired during your studies to real-world scenarios, honing practical skills crucial for your future career. Moreover, you'll have the opportunity to shadow seasoned professionals, gaining insights into industry best practices and techniques. Building professional networks during this time can greatly benefit your job prospects post-graduation.

Overall, this course will provide you with a rich and rewarding learning experience that will be invaluable to a range of potential future careers in areas of work with young people, community development and education, youth engagement and inclusion, community cohesion, or to postgraduate study. In whatever path you choose to engage, you will bring a professional practice grounded in the theory and practice of community-based informal education.

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

Benjamin Zephaniah Building Level 2 classroom

Our facilities

This course is primarily based at our City Centre Campus, in the Benjamin Zephaniah Building (formerly University House), however, for some practical activities, such as sport, cookery or science lab sessions, you may be based at our City South Campus in Edgbaston, or the Alexander Stadium and Doug Ellis Sports Centre in Perry Barr.

About Benjamin Zephaniah Building

This freshly renovated building provides a dedicated teaching and learning space for our Education and Communities students and staff.

Spaces in the building include:

  •        Primary and secondary science labs 
  •        Innovation and Lego teaching room 
  •        Flexible space for Design and Technology
  •        Art room

As well as general teaching rooms.

Our staff

Emma Ransome

Senior Lecturer in Education, Course Leader for Working with Children, Young People and Families

Emma Ransome has worked in the Education sector for over fifteen years, in that time she has taught children from 0 – 10 years old, in a variety of settings, including a childminder setting, children’s centres, primary schools, and nurseries.

More about Emma

Vina Patel

Senior Lecturer

Vina has worked with children and their families in the private and public sector. She has developed, led and managed early years teams for a large chain in the private sector. Vina also area managed the Midlands region where she worked with host companies running childcare, including those in the car industry.

More about Vina

Sinead Joyce

Associate Professor of Education & Social Work

Sinead Joyce was born in Birmingham and gained her BA Honours in Early Childhood Studies in 2008 and her Masters in Higher Education in 2015 with Birmingham City University. Sinead is a Senior Fellow accredited by the HEA and is continuing her research interests in a PHD looking at professional Identify within an Interdisciplinary Degree.

More about Sinead

Dr Paola Pedrelli

Senior Lecturer

Dr Paola Pedrelli teaches on the MA Education, AIC, Singapore programme, focussing on Leadership and Management; Coaching and Mentoring and dissertation modules as well as supervising MA dissertation students.

More about Paola

Dr Karina Butler

Lecture in Education

Dr Karina Butler studied International Relations and Political Science at the University of Birmingham, where she received her BA (Hons) followed by a Doctorate in Political Science from the Department of Political Science and International Studies.

More about Karina