Childhood Development and Playwork BA (Hons)

Course Details

Gain the confidence and expertise to work in a range of professions across the children’s workforce. Unique learning pathways will enable you to shape your future career by gaining vital work experience from a variety of placement opportunities including hospital play, therapeutic playwork, adventure playgrounds and community and policy development work.

Your classroom-based learning focuses on the sociology and psychology of children and childhood. You will pay particular attention to the importance of play for children’s wellbeing and development, and its application in a range of professional roles. This course’s modular structure enables you to develop specialisms in playwork, child development, the sociology of childhood and social policy, and the provision and management of children’s play projects.

Upon graduation you will gain a range of practical and transferable skills, and a critical understanding of contemporary issues central to the study and practice of childhood development and playwork.

Course Benefits

You will have access to work-based learning opportunities with experienced supervisors in a range of child-focused occupations across the UK and worldwide – previous students have gone on to learn in the US, Kenya and Australia.

Job Prospects

Our graduates have achieved success in a wide range of areas, including managing playwork provision and providing therapeutic playwork services in prisons and hospitals. You could work in a range of roles across children’s services, or take up a management role in local government. The majority of our students finish their placements with an offer of employment by the time they graduate. Should you want to continue your studies and develop your expertise further, our range of postgraduate play therapy courses will be available to you.

• Hospital playworker
• Early years practitioner
• Adventure playground worker
• Local authority play development officer.