Name: Children, Schools & Families (Graduate Practitioner) (Top-up), BA (Hons)
Price: £9,535 per year GBP

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Attendance

Campus

Start

Duration

1 year

Start

September 2026

UCAS Code

L591

Delivery

In-person

Our Children, Schools and Families (Top-Up) course builds on your existing experience in child-based education to help you develop a career working with children, families and the services that support them.

Our course is mapped to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) benchmarks for Early Childhood Studies. The course draws upon education, psychology, sociology, social work and health. You'll gain a solid grounding for your future career working within the children and families workforce.

You’ll examine the services, systems, policies and work practices that relate to children and young people in schools, with families, and in care settings.

The programme integrates theory, policy and professional practice. You will conduct professional placements and work-based learning, ensuring you are well-prepared for the workplace.

Why study with us

You’ll have the opportunity to complete a Level 3 Paediatric First Aid certificate.
You'll be taught by an expert team of practice based academic staff and researchers. Their expertise spans education, early years, youth work, social care, family support and health.
The course is built around a minimum of 560 assessed placement hours. This will develop your professional practice expertise, so that you can excel in a career focused on supporting children and families.

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What you'll do

You will spend time learning on-campus, as well as gaining practical experience on placement.
Professional placements will allow you to apply what you have learned in the classroom to the real-world.
Learn about children and childhood, safeguarding and legislation, trauma informed practices and disability and inclusive practice.

Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner

As part of the BA (Hons) Children, Schools and Families course, you can also work towards a professional practice award as a Level 6 Graduate Practitioner with Children. This award meets the statutory requirements for working with children under 8 in early years settings, schools, social care, and family support roles.

You'll gain Level 6 recognition through an assessed placement alongside the course, that focuses on the topics learnt throughout the degree. The Graduate Practitioner Competencies (Level 6) is recognised and endorsed in the Department for Educations career progression mapping.

To achieve the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner competencies you'll need to meet the nine competencies. This is through a combination of assessed observations during your 80 days of practice, work-based tasks and academic assessment.

The early childhood graduate competencies are:

Advocating for young children’s rights and participation
Promoting holistic child development
Working directly with young children, families and colleagues to promote health, well-being, safety and nurturing care
Observing, listening and planning for young children to support their well-being, early learning, progression and transitions
Safeguarding and child protection
Inclusive practice
Partnership with parents and caregivers
Collaborating with others
Professional development

Modules

This module will provide you with an overview of critical issues for children, families and young people, taking into account a variety of factors and including the views of service users and carers, theoretical concepts, research evidence and relevant policy and legislation. This module recognises and critically discusses the prominence of children, families and ‘youth’ in Government policies.

Module code: SW3033

On this module you will understand the professional practices of an Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner. You will become an advocate for young children’s rights and participation and recognise that young children are active co-constructors of their own learning. You will critically apply high-level academic knowledge of pedagogy and research evidence, to the holistic development of infants and young children (0-8), in a practice context that is respectful of the child, their family and community.

Module code: CI3109

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. We may also make changes to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Senior Lecturer

Senior Lecturer

Lecturer

Senior Lecturer

The library (Preston Campus)

Future careers

Our graduates work across the spectrum of children and families settings, including children’s centres, schools, national charities, nurseries and family and community support.

Entry requirements

We will consider your educational achievements, predicted grades, work experience and personal statement. If you don't meet the grades for your chosen course, we will consider you for other programmes.

We know that many factors can influence the grades you achieve in school or college. If your life experience has affected your academic studies, we can take this into account. Use the UCAS Points Calculator below to check whether you are eligible.

Unsure if you meet our entry requirements?
Contact our friendly Course Enquiries team to talk through your options.

Minimum qualifications:

Pass Foundation Degree or HND in a relevant subject, eg Children Young People and their Services, or Early Years
GCSEs: 5 at grade C/4 or equivalent. It is a requirement of the external body linked to Graduate Practitioner status that all applicants must have a Grade C/4 in English or equivalent in order to graduate from this course
A satisfactory Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland) is required for this course

This course involves working with vulnerable people, including children. To make sure we accept suitable students, you must get a clear enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, previously called a CRB check.

We will help you with this process after you receive a conditional offer to study at the University of Lancashire.

If your Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is not suitable for the course you applied for, your offer may be taken back. If you have already started the course and your DBS check later shows a criminal conviction, you may have to leave the course. If you know that your DBS check will show a past conviction, please speak to the Course Leader. Some convictions may not stop you from doing the course.

Not got the grades?

Our courses with a foundation year could be exactly what you're looking for. They provide an alternative route to study for this degree.

Find out more about our courses with a foundation year.

Fees and funding

2025/26

Full-time£9,535 per year

International

Full-time£17,325 per year

2026/27

UK tuition fees for 2026/27 have not yet been set. The fees shown are for guidance only.

Full-time£9,535 per year

International

Full-time£18,750 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer many scholarships, bursaries and funds to support you during your studies. Select your country or region to see if you are eligible and how to apply.

Select your country/region

Financial support package
If you are from a low income household our Financial Bursary may be able to help.
Find out more about Financial support package
Sports scholarships
We offer student athletes support and opportunities for their playing careers whilst they study a high-quality degree.
Find out more about Sports scholarships
Sanctuary Scholarship
This scholarship supports forced migrants who are not eligible for student finance to access higher education with us.
Find out more about Sanctuary Scholarship

This degree will give you a mixture of theoretical knowledge and practical learning opportunities. You’ll be taught by staff who are experts in various fields, including education, social work, sociology, psychology and social policy. Their academic expertise is informed by research and practice. The timetable for this course is designed to give you the opportunity to attend classes on campus for one working day. You’ll learn through a combination of teaching, group debate and discussion, practical experience and independent research. Lectures will be supported by a range of audio-visual and online resources which will support your own independent study. The group activities, workshops and discussions will help you to share and apply information, ideas, values and experience while also enhancing your problem-solving skills. We’ll assess you through a variety of methods including essays, content analysis, portfolios, presentations, workbooks, a research proposal and a final year dissertation. We’ll support you every step of the way. When you arrive, you’ll be allocated a tutor who will support you throughout your degree and help you to get the most out of your time at University.

We also give consideration to non-traditional qualifications and relevant work experience. We encourage applicants to produce evidence of their potential to benefit from the course.

If you believe you may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning for certain modules then we’ll take this into consideration on an individual basis.

On this course you’ll benefit from our Centre for Volunteering and Community Leadership (CVCL) which enables you to get involved in projects which make a positive difference to people’s lives. They offer a range of volunteering projects in the UK and Internationally so you’re bound to find something that inspires you.

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This course is delivered by the School of Health, Social Work and Sport

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Lancashire on our student contract page

Your saved courses

Children, Schools & Families (Graduate Practitioner) (Top-up)

Why study with us

What you'll do

Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner

Modules

Modules studied

Compulsory modules

Accreditations

Future careers

Entry requirements

Minimum qualifications:

Not got the grades?

Fees and funding

Scholarships and bursaries

Financial support package

Sports scholarships

Sanctuary Scholarship

Children, Schools & Families (Graduate Practitioner) (Top-up)

Why study with us

What you'll do

Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner

Modules

Modules studied

Visit us on campus

Accreditations

Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)

Future careers

Entry requirements

Minimum qualifications:

Not got the grades?

Fees and funding

Additional costs

Additional costs

Scholarships and bursaries

Financial support package

Sports scholarships

Sanctuary Scholarship

Learning and assessment

Further information