Home Courses Childhood BA (Hons) Children’s Health and Wellbeing
Student outside with kids playing

Develop your holistic approach and understanding of children’s health

Applications open for September 2025 entry (subject to course validation)

UCAS LogoUCAS Logo
X380
3 years full-time
Bishop Otter Campus (Chichester)

Top 30

UK university
out of 122 institutions

Guardian University Guide 2025

95%

positivity that the course has developed your knowledge for the future

National Student Survey 2024

Top 10

for learning opportunities

National Student Survey 2024

Top 30

UK university
out of 122 institutions

Guardian University Guide 2025

95%

positivity that the course has developed your knowledge for the future

National Student Survey 2024

Top 10

for learning opportunities

National Student Survey 2024

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Saturday 11 October
Sunday 26 October
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Saturday 11 October

Sunday 26 October

Saturday 22 November

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Overview

Master the skills to address growing health crisis in children

This course will develop your understanding of the underlying causes behind the growing issue of poor health and wellbeing in children.

You will study child development and behaviour and explore the ways in which family and environmental influences effect emotional and cognitive development. The programme will include discussions around identity and tackle important subjects such as loss, bereavement, risk and climate anxiety.

On this course, you will master the skills to address the current crisis in children’s mental health, developing effective communication skills while gaining an understanding of the importance of inclusive practice.

By the end of the course, you will gain a qualification which will enable you to work with children and families in this key area of current and growing need.

National Student Survey 2023

Overall average positivity
4th
in the UK for Childhood and Youth Studies
Organisation and management
3rd
in the UK for Childhood and Youth Studies
Learning resources
5th
in the UK for Childhood and Youth Studies

The Course

Develop your skills and knowledge of working with children with health issues

The course provides the opportunity to gain professional practice experience making clear links between theory and therapeutic practice.

You will be guided through a thought-provoking range of modules that are specifically designed to increase your understanding of children’s health and wellbeing.

Study areas include:

  • Children and Young People’s Mental Health
  • Special Educational Needs
  • Childhood, Poverty and Sustainability
  • Working Therapeutically with Families
  • Loss and Bereavement

Modules

This list is indicative and subject to change.

Child Development

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

You will explore implications for practice within Early Years curriculums and policy, and investigate the relationships between different domains, such as biological, social, emotional and cognitive.

You will be introduced to the idea that development is not fixed at ages and stages, but instead is influenced by social and historical contexts, and explore links between theories of child development and how they underpin and inform practice within the Early Years sector 

Introduction to Academic and Professional Skills

The aim of this module is to develop your understanding of professional and academic skills, including academic writing, reasoning, argument, and critical thinking. 

You will be introduced to a range of literature and study various approaches to topics covered within their respective subject areas.

This module will develop digital literacy skills to support professional readiness and will include CV writing and employability skills.

Safeguarding and Integrated Practice

This module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of the child safeguarding agenda and underpinning legislation.

You will be introduced to current debates around children’s rights, within the current and relevant political frameworks. The complex inter-relationships between protection and rights will also be explored.

You will develop a clear understanding of their duty to safeguard and the reporting responsibilities that accompany this in practice.

Culture, Diversity and Challenging Prejudice

This module aims to develop cultural awareness, promote respect for diversity and develop an understanding of the roots of prejudice. Through discussion and activities, it will encourage you to reflect on personal attitudes and unconscious bias.

In this module, you will consider the impact of cultural heritage, poverty and diversity on education and lived experience and will make clear links to sustainable development goals.  

Introduction to Health and Wellbeing

This module aims to introduce you to the concept of health and wellbeing, as well as the various factors that influence a child’s health. You will explore different perspectives on the definitions of health and wellbeing, gaining a deeper understanding of the holistic aspects of health.

There will be a focus on children’s developmental understanding of health and wellbeing, alongside an examination of the impact of both short-term illnesses and long-term conditions.

The module will also examine the overall health of children within the nation, identifying key areas of concern. You will explore health inequalities and the factors contributing to the decline or improvements in children’s health. Both the short-term and long-term consequences of children not achieving optimal health and wellbeing will be discussed.

You will be introduced to the roles of the multidisciplinary teams in the health and education sectors, focusing on how they support children’s health and wellbeing. Additionally, you will explore the connection between these practices and the health frameworks in both sectors, along with their alignment to government policies and initiatives.

By the end of the module, you will have developed a solid foundation of knowledge to support children’s health and wellbeing across education, social care, and health settings.

Children’s Play and Creativity

This module will explore the role of play and creativity in child development. This will include definitions and characteristics of play as well as different types of play. You will examine the theoretical perspectives and research that underpins the study of play in childhood. There will be guidance and encouragement to foster an awareness of how cultural, social, and historical contexts shape the nature and value of play and creativity.

Areas explored in the module will include the influence of technology on traditional play and the role of play in education including the impact of play-based learning on academic achievement. You will discuss barriers to play and the impact of over-scheduling and the decline of play in modern society.

Year Two
• Childhood, Poverty and Sustainability
• How to Research
• Understanding Children’s Behaviour
• Children’s Health and Immunisations
• Children, Families and Communities
• Children’s health – eat, sleep, move, relax

Year Three
• Independent Project with focus on Children’s Mental Health
• SEND
• Therapeutic Play / Digital Child
• Supporting Children’s Mental Health
• Crime and Childhood / Outdoor Learning

Teaching and Assessment

Supportive staff who are experts in the field

Teaching

You will learn from expert practitioners and accomplished academics with a wide range of experience within the field of Childhood Studies.

We bring new research together with established theory into the classroom through a mix of direct teaching, seminars, and activity-based learning.

Within your learning sessions, you will be challenged to go further and be encouraged to be proactive, responsive and responsible for your own learning and ideas outside of the classroom.

Our focus on group discussion and the consideration of the thoughts of others allow you to develop your own ideas.

Assessment

It is important that our assessments are designed to meet the various learning needs of students.

We offer a variety of assessment methods that include presentations, assignments, exams, academic posters and placement portfolios.

Experience

Discover facilities that help support your learning

Study Abroad

Explore the opportunity to study part of your course abroad

As a student at the University of Chichester, you can explore opportunities to study abroad during your studies as you enrich and broaden your educational experiences.

Students who have undertaken this in the past have found it to be an amazing experience to broaden their horizons, a great opportunity to meet new people, undertake further travelling and to immerse themselves within a new culture.

You will be fully supported throughout the process to help find the right destination institution for you and your course. We can take you through everything that you will need to consider, from visas to financial support, to help ensure that you can get the best out of your time studying abroad.

Careers

Where this course can take you

The programme is designed with professionals from the industry in response to the growing crisis in children’s health and wellbeing.

Graduates with a specialism in children’s mental health will be uniquely placed to enter a workforce that is currently understaffed, achieving a qualification which addresses the skills desired by employers in the sector.

This course would offer career or post-graduate progression into:

  • Social work
  • Play therapy
  • Teaching
  • Mental health nursing

Course Costs

Course Fees 2025/26

UK fee
£9,535
International fee
£16,344

EU/EEA Fee Reduction Scholarship

EU/EEA students automatically pay the equivalent of UK fees via the EU/EEA Fee Reduction Scholarship

For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fees page.

For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.

To find out about any additional costs on this course, please see our Additional Costs page.

Entry Requirements

UCAS
96-112
tariff points.
A Levels
BBC - CCC
BTEC
DMM - MMM
Cambridge Technical
DMM - MMM
CACHE Level 3 Diploma
B/C
in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator).
T Level
Merit (with C in the Core)
in Education and Early Years.
Access to HE Diploma
Pass
IB
26-28 points

Contextual offers

We believe everyone deserves an equal opportunity to pursue higher education, regardless of their background.

When we receive your application we consider your personal circumstances and the factors surrounding your achievements to see if you are eligible for a contextual offer. This is an offer with a reduced entry tariff – typically the equivalent of 16 fewer UCAS points (two A-level grades).

Find out more about our contextual offers.

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