FdA Children's and Young People's Services

When can you start this course? | Fees | Course length | Entry requirements

You can also start this course in January

Why choose this course?

FdA Children's and Young People's Services

We've developed this part time course with employers in the sector, so it's relevant and up to date, and you'll develop the key skills and knowledge they're looking for.
The course is made up of a number of pathways, so you can specialise in an area that's relevant to your work and interests.

You'll study core and pathway (option) modules and you'll select one of the following pathways to specialise in the area you work.

Early Years
Teaching Assistant
Health and Social Care

A foundation degree in our early years pathway is considered full and relevant for the purposes of registration and regulation for the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC). This means that if you hold this qualification you can count in the qualified ratio of staff at level 3.

About the course

This course will develop you as a confident, knowledgeable and effective practitioner to work with children, young people and their families in the Children's and Young People's Service sector. We've developed the course with employers in the sector, so it's relevant and up to date meaning you'll develop all the skills and knowledge they are looking for. To complete this course you'll need to be working in the Children's and Young People's Service sector two days per week.

You'll be able to reflect on your practice and enhance this through the theory you learn. Your work setting is used for work-based projects, activities and research so everything you study will be relevant to your everyday work. You'll also have the support of a work-based Mentor at your workplace, plus the support of tutors at the University.

The course is flexible to suit you, you can study during the day, in the evening and at weekend study days, although some routes require you to attend specific days for specialised lectures. You'll study a mixture of theory and practical work. You'll learn through reflective tasks, work based activities, presentations, tutorials and using online resources. There are no exams and you'll be assessed using your work based activities, creative presentations, essays, discussion papers, case studies and portfolios.

Please note that the Health and Social Care pathway is only available at our Kedleston Road site in Derby.

Find out more about what subjects and modules you'll be studying...

Your career

There's a growing demand for highly qualified practitioners working in children's and young people's services, so you'll be well placed to get a job when you graduate. You'll have the knowledge, understanding and professional skills to progress in your practice and make an impact on service provision. Some of our previous students went on to be promoted to senior roles or lead practice within their current roles after completing this course.

After completing this course you'll have the opportunity to progress on to Stage 3 of an honours degree, either a taught course or through a work-based online course. You can then progress on to other professional courses such as the Early Years Professional Status or take an initial teacher training qualification.

In recent years many of our graduates have:

Moved ahead in their vocational field - they are in senior roles, leading practice and settings.
Continued on to achieve a BA Honours degree in Early Childhood Studies, Education Studies, Joint Honours with Science, Health and Social Care or Applied Youth and Community Studies.
Continued on to a teacher training course and are now teaching.

What our students say

Katie Wells, one of our current students.

Katie Wells, one of our current students comments about the course:
"The tutors offer endless support over the phone, via email and in tutorials. They are always encouraging and motivating."

Start dates

If you're from the UK or EU you can apply to study this course in:

September 2012
January 2013

Fees

This is a classroom based course.

UK/EU students

Part time: £875 per module (you usually take 12 of these modules in total).

*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2012 and August 2013. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.