Program Overview

Integrated Working with Children & Families BA (Hons) Top-up Degree

Overview

The Integrated Working with Children & Families BA (Hons) Top-up Degree is designed for experienced practitioners or those with a relevant qualification (i.e., HND or Foundation Degree) from across the children's workforce, who wish to enhance their skills and expertise with a view to career development.

Key Features

• Ideal for experienced practitioners or those with a relevant qualification (i.e., HND or Foundation Degree) from across the children's workforce, who wish to enhance their skills and expertise with a view to career development.
• Covers a wide range of disciplines; previous students have progressed to teaching (primary, secondary, special, FE/HE), social work, management, family support, play therapy, occupational therapy, charity and project work, and many more interesting roles.
• Flexible study options, including full and part-time options, and an online route that blends distance learning with face-to-face contact (one Saturday per month) via our Flexible & Distributed Learning pathway.

Entry Requirements

• Foundation Degree, HND, Dip HE, or equivalent in Early Childhood Studies, Learning Support, Health and Social Care, Birth and Beyond, CAMHS, or a related subject.
• GCSE grade C/4 in Maths and English as course entry requirements are desirable but students are reminded that their employment sector may require these qualifications. The University offers equivalency tests to support applicants in meeting this requirement as a course entry.
• Experience working with children, young people, and/or families.
• Current DBS clearance.

Course Content

The course content and structure have been developed to reflect a student-centered approach, enabling students from diverse but relevant educational and professional backgrounds to build on previous learning and experience in working with children and families.

• IWCF 3002 - Dissertation (30 credits)
• IWCF 3003 - Professional Practice and Inquiry (30 credits)
• IWCF 3004 - Advanced Practice in Holistic Development (30 credits)
• IWCF 3005 - Integrated Support for Children and Families: policy, practice, and leadership (30 credits)

Teaching and Assessment

• The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip them for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement.
• A mixture of independent study, teaching, and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables students to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements, and experiences that will enable them to flourish and be successful.
• Teaching staff includes senior academics with backgrounds in primary teaching, early years, play work, social work, counseling, nursing, and management.

Careers

• Integrated Working with Children and Families graduates should have extensive knowledge of the education and care of children from birth to 19 years, giving a foundation for a range of careers working with children, families, and other professional disciplines, including teaching, social work, health services, and children's charities.
• Some examples of what past students are doing now:
  • Higher Level Teaching Assistant
  • Early Years / Children’s Centre manager
  • Family support worker (in Social Services Dept. and in hospitals/ hospice)
  • Project workers: homeless youth services, refugee families, young carers
  • College placement officer
  • Play development officer
  • Inclusion mentor
  • Case worker for children not in education

Fees and Funding

• Full-time tuition fees:
  • UK and EU students: £9,535 per year (2025/26)
  • International students: £16,700 per year (2025/26)
• Part-time tuition fees:
  • UK and EU students: £1,190.83 per 15-credit module, £1,587.77 per 20-credit module, £2,381.66 per 30-credit module, £3,175.55 per 40-credit module, £3,572.50 per 45-credit module, and £4,763.32 per 60 credit module (2025/26)
• Additional costs:
  • Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing, and photocopying.
  • Accommodation: Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study. We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Traditional Halls' at £131 per week to 'Ensuite Premium Halls' at £228 per week (2025/26 prices).