BA (Hons) Childhood with Therapeutic Play

Child Development (0-8 Years)

This module introduces you to the nature of developmental psychology and encourages a critical understanding of psychological theories in relation to children’s development.

Introduction to Childhood

This module aims to introduce you to the multidisciplinary nature of Early Childhood Studies and the different ways in which childhood is viewed, discussed and analysed.

You will focus on various sociological concepts and perspectives in trying to understand young children’s lives and experiences.

Play, Creativity and Expressive Arts

This module provides you with an understanding of the different perspectives of play in relation to child development and learning.

You will explore the influence of key pioneers on contemporary concepts of play and make links between theory and effective practice in the early years sector.

Safeguarding Children and Integrated Practice

The module will enable you to develop knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding agenda and underpinning legislation. You will learn how to apply this in practice with children, parents and colleagues.

The Developing Practitioner

This module enables you to gain assessed experience in a setting that is relevant to early years practice.

Preparing for Professional Practice

The module will introduce you to how theory is linked and applied to effective Early Years practice.

The topics covered in this module will be a precursor to your first practice placement.

The Resilient Child

This module explores current theory and practice around concepts of resilience.

You will explore strategies that can be used by professionals to support the development of resilience in children.

Key themes will include:

• the amygdala hijack
• learned optimism
• ACEs
• theories of containment
• transitional objects
• emotional safety
• and the promotion of self-awareness.

Children’s Health & Wellbeing

The module develops your knowledge and understanding of the issues that surround health and wellbeing as they affect children and young people into adulthood.

You will explore how 21st century living has highlighted an increasing concern over the health and wellbeing of children and adults alike, and how this is reflected in current government agendas.

Preparation for Independent Project

You will explore how to conduct empirical research for your Independent Project, and promote understanding of research within the field of Early Years.

In addition, you will develop your awareness of ‘research mindedness’, as well as qualitative, quantitative and mixed research approaches as you link evidence-based research to professional practice.

Rocking the Cradle

This module explores how ethical discussion and legislation have both struggled to keep up with the fast-changing landscape of conception, pregnancy, the birth process and the care of babies up to the age of two years.

These developments have in turn fed into the sociological changes around the nature of parenting, the family and professional practice.

The nature of attachment is shaped by the experience of pregnancy and the birth process. The first two years of the child’s life are important to various key child development theorists and the module will consider the links between theory and practice in relation to Early Years.

Special Educational Needs and Disability

This module develops your critical understanding of the issues that surround special educational needs and disability (SEND) in society and Early Years settings, with reference to government policy initiatives and legislation.

The history, economic and social dimensions of issues relating to special educational needs and disability will be explored, along with an analysis of the impact upon children, families and working practices.

In addition, the origins and meanings of related terminology will be explored and debated.

The Reflective Practitioner

This module enables you to gain assessed experience in a setting which is relevant to Early Years practice.

This will help you form a critical understanding of the ways in which theory and practice relate to one another within an Early Years setting, as well as to develop appropriate skills and gain experience.

Being Human: Emotions and Behaviour in Social Life

In this module, you will explore the influence of emotions in a range of aspects of social life.

You will examine cross-disciplinary research, drawing from sociology, social psychology and cultural studies.

You will also develop a familiarity with the research will enable students to critique social and political phenomena by identifying the role of emotion in shaping social and political attitudes and behaviour.

Working Therapeutically with Families

In this module, you will develop your knowledge, understanding and skills of working therapeutically with families facing adversity.

You will consider the impact of family circumstances on the developing child and begin to explore the practitioner role in building a therapeutic alliance and working with resistance.

This module will help to prepare you to work therapeutically with children and young people by first recognising the importance of respect, understanding and compassion when building relationships with the child’s support network, holding in mind that these family members may be facing their own personal difficulties which may impact their level of support or availability for the child or young person.

Children, Stories and the Media

This module uses children’s stories and the media to explore current and past constructs of childhood. Specific examples of these media are used to consider the wider social, cultural and educational issues that surround their production and consumption.

In this module, you will critically examine studies of how children engage with a range of different media that is produced for children.

This includes:

• books (both fiction and non-fiction)
• television
• film
• the ‘new media’ that is available for children, including other interactive media such as computer games.

You will also consider the ways in which those who study childhood have sought to understand this engagement. The module will take a broad approach, drawing on theories from a range of social science and cultural disciplines.

Crime and Childhood

This module explores children and criminality from various points of view, from offending to court procedures, from explanations of children’s crime to protection of victims, and allows you to draw conclusions about the special status of children and the legal system.

You will examine the ‘social construction of childhood’ both historically and internationally in regard to how children are treated in the criminal justice system.

Case studies will be used to illustrate how criminal law and childhood is given particular significance, including use of media coverage.

Issues around children and crime are of contemporary relevance, and this module will provide insights into the many avenues of childcare practice that are connected to the criminal justice system.

Graduate Practitioner Placement

This practical placement module builds on theory from taught modules in the programme and placements at both Levels 4 and 5. It gives you opportunities in relevant settings to achieve the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competences. You will complete 25 days in a placement setting and workshop sessions in the university.

Independent Project

The independent project is designed to engage you in a longer-term and analytical piece of research on a topic relevant to Early Childhood Studies. The module includes a focus on the research process. This includes guidance on research design, writing a literature review, application of methodological approach and method(s) used, ethical issues, data collection and analysis.

Leading Professional Practice

This module aims to introduce you to the key factors that affect strategies for leading and managing in Early Years provision. You will develop knowledge and understanding of how to improve practice through working alongside staff, children, families and other professionals.

Adventure Education

This module introduces you to the innovative and adventurous environments in which children can develop, learn and play such as Forest Schools and Beach School.

You will examine the theoretical, psychological, physical and social processes and benefits for children and Early Years professionals/teachers that come with activities away from conventional environments.

The module considers the history and theory that has shaped ‘adventure’ environments in the past, and continue to affect them in the present.

The Digital Child

The module introduces you to the digital experiences of childhood, and the effects of technology on children in a fast-changing world, as you assess the benefits and drawbacks from social, emotional and behavioural perspectives.

The module examines access to the online world, and policy and parental attempts to control children’s digital consumption.

Therapeutic Play

This module aims to explore and critically analyse the centrality of play in enabling children to make sense of the world around them and their place within that world, especially when experiencing trauma.