If you work with children or young people and want to progress both professionally and academically, then this module is for you. This masters-level module will help you to gain a deeper understanding of the ideas that influence current practice; analyse policy and organisational changes; and explore what it means to be a critical, reflective practitioner. The module is relevant to work in a wide range of services with children and young people, including childcare, education, healthcare, social work and youth work – and covers the whole age range from early years to youth.
What you will study
In this module, you'll explore the conceptual, professional and personal contexts in which work with children and young people takes place. You'll be encouraged to take a critical, reflective approach: analysing the ways in which these broader contexts shape everyday practice, and assessing the implications for your own work. The first part of the module examines the ways that theories and research inform practice, as well as different policy approaches within the nations of the UK and internationally. The second part of the module takes a critical look at organisational change and its implications for professional identities. The final part explores the interplay between the personal and the professional in work with children and young people.
An online learning guide will direct your study and help you to plan your work. Resources include a module reader consisting of chapters written by experts from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds; audio and video material containing case studies of work with children and young people; and a variety of other online resources.
Vocational relevance
This module is designed for those who have experience of working with children or young people, or who wish to do so, as well as those who wish to improve their understanding of services for children and young people.
Entry
You must have the minimum of a:
- bachelors degree (in any subject) from a UK university, or
- professional qualification equivalent to a UK bachelors degree, or
- qualification from a university outside the UK and equivalent to a UK bachelors degree.
You also must have passed Children and young people’s worlds (E808), have resubmitted the end-of-module assessment and are awaiting your result, or have received an award of transferred credit and are exempt from E808.
If you’ve any doubt about the suitability of the module, talk to an adviser.
Although the module is designed primarily for people working with children or young people, students without access to a practice setting will not be disadvantaged and will be able to use examples from the study materials for assessment tasks.
Outside the UK
It is available worldwide, but you should be aware that the focus is on policy and practice in the United Kingdom.
Synchronous tutorials and communications could be difficult to deliver to students outside the UK due to time differences. If you can’t attend the synchronous tutorials or make synchronous communications, you’ll have to use asynchronous alternative methods, such as watching recorded tutorials and emailing questions.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You'll have a named tutor who will support your studies and mark and comment on your assignment work; you can also seek academic advice and guidance from them. Your tutor will offer support through email, telephone and online forum discussions. Additionally, there will be online tutorials. We'll advertise tutorials before the module starts; E809 tutors will take them, but depending on the tutorial, not necessarily your own named tutor. We recommend you book online to attend these tutorials.
Assessment
You can find the assessment details for this module in the facts box.
Learner support
You’ll have a named tutor who will support your studies and mark and comment on your assignment work; you can also seek academic advice and guidance from them. Your tutor will offer support through email, telephone and online forum discussions. Additionally, there will be online tutorials. We’ll advertise tutorials before the module starts; E809 tutors will take them, but depending on the tutorial, not necessarily your own named tutor. We recommend you book online to attend these tutorials.
Future availability
Frameworks for critical practice with children and young people (E809) starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2025.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2027.