Work with Children, Young People, their Families and Carers

MSc / Postgraduate Certificate / Postgraduate Diploma

For Qualified Social Workers:

Higher Specialist Social Work Award
Advanced Level Social Work Award

(Both subject to validation approval by the General Social Care Council for Social Work)

This postgraduate award enables anyone who is working with children, young people and their families and carers an opportunity to develop their knowledge and enhance their skills. Students potentially have an opportunity to learn with people from a variety of backgrounds, including social work, youth work and education.

The course is designed to enable students to systematically learn from work place experience, to think critically and to make reflective use of theory and primary research in practice. Students undertaking this course must be in employment that extensively requires them to engage in work with children or young people and their families and carers. The aim of the course is to enable students to undertake improvements in their own practice, the practice of others and within their workplace.

The learning involves a blend of activities including:

On-line programmes of study based on Moodle virtual learning environment for some modules;
Group reflection on workplace dilemmas and projects;
Presentation of papers;
Debates on key themes

Students seeking the Masters award will need to undertake a module on research methods in preparation for their dissertation.

Some of our modules

Inter-agency Working to Improve Outcomes for Children
Evidence Based Assessment and Critical Decision-Making with Children Young People and Families
Law, Policy and Practice in Work with Children, Young People and Families
Evidence Based Planning and Intervention with Vulnerable Children, Young People and Families
Mentoring and Coaching

Benefits

Opportunity to learn alongside other professional practitioners who work with children, young people and their families and carers;
Time to reflect on own practice and understanding of the interventions carried out and their purpose;
Ability to examine the purpose and nature of inter-agency working and inter-professional practice

Career Paths

For professionally qualified social work students, the higher specialist and advanced awards are required for senior roles and management positions within some county/city councils;
The demonstration and ability to learn at higher level optimises career opportunities and choices for those people interested in working with children and young people;
The ability to learn whilst being employed demonstrates a student’s responsibility to undertake continuous professional development, increasing their potential for promotion

Entry Requirements

A good honours degree at Undergraduate level (2:1)
For qualified social work practitioners a Social Work Diploma in Higher Education with recent evidence of successful further study at Level 3 is also acceptable