FDA Working with Children and Young People Foundation degree at Hartlepool College of Further Education
FDA Working with Children and Young People at HCFE weaves together core theory with practical experience, specialist options tailored to your interests, and an independent project that lets you explore an area in depth.
About this course
FDA Working with Children and Young People is a Foundation degree (FDA) at HCFE, based in Hartlepool College. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for General Studies, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 75% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 4 modules
- Childhood and Youth DevelopmentCore
Module details
You will be introduced to key academic theories and models of children and young people's development, and engage with sociological and psychological perspectives on childhood and youth, to examine how these differing perspectives provide an interesting and contested understanding of growing up. You consider the key physical, intellectual, linguistic, emotional and social aspects of development, alongside adolescent theory. You also explore sociological perspectives, including (sub) culture theo
- Developing Work-based PracticeCore
Module details
You are introduced to the initial aspects of effective practice in working with children and young people. Typically, you will demonstrate through your practice and academic work, core principles, skills, and values of working with children and young people and to use this knowledge to identify needs and support needs of children and young people. The module incorporates a minimum of 60 hours of work-based learning to enable you to develop your skills, whist making links to underpinning theory a
- Relationship Building and Effective CommunicationCore
Module details
You gain an introduction to key communication and effective listening skills to build relationships with children and young people. You explore the importance of listening and responding effectively to the concerns and needs of children, young people and families. Drawing upon a range of interpersonal skills and insights into practice interventions, including mentoring, coaching and basic counselling, you learn skills and supporting knowledge in areas such as listening, building rapport, showing
- Understanding Learning for Inclusive PracticeCore
Module details
You gain an introduction to understanding learning and its importance for children and young people's social and individual development. You consider key learning theories and the process of learning. You are encouraged to examine key issues associated with learning and inclusion through appreciation of the inequalities and barriers, and the importance of designing learning to reflect a diverse range of learner needs.
Year 2 4 modules
- Enhancing Work-based PracticeCore
Module details
This is an opportunity to demonstrate practitioner skills at Level 5 which see you increasingly able to operate with increased autonomy to shape and inform your practice. Your understanding of working with others will be developed to take you beyond the team setting to explore external contexts and arrangements, collaborative working and to analyse the key challenges for effective practice. You will be encouraged to recognise that integrated working is integral to all practitioners who come into
- Policies in Practice ContextsCore
Module details
You further develop understanding of the practice contexts through exploration of professional standards and codes of ethics, and the contemporary social policy agendas that shape and inform practice. You explore a range of relevant policy arenas, including safeguarding, health, participation, and involvement, which relate to areas of interest and practice. Critical skills of inquiry into the implications of a specific policy for the nature of work and interventions with children, young people a
- Promoting the Wellbeing and Resilience of Children and Young PeopleCore
Module details
You increase your knowledge and understanding of the importance of promoting the wellbeing and resilience of children and young people. Current and contemporary aspects of safeguarding policy and practice will be explored examining how professionals involved meet children's needs and maintain their rights. You demonstrate your ability to use this knowledge to identify and support safeguarding needs of children and young people.
- Use of Data for Evidence-based PracticeCore
Module details
You develop research skills and apply gained knowledge to practice, and identify and analyse relevant secondary data sources to devise a profile for a specific neighbourhood. The module enables you to identify some key academic literature and theories within children and young people studies. It encourages you to relate this knowledge to a contemporary issue affecting children and young people and will emphasise the importance of using key data to inform and shape the approaches to work with chi
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This Foundation degree focuses on practical and theoretical work with children and young people across a range of settings and contexts. A course like this typically begins with foundational concepts and academic skills, then moves to an interdisciplinary core exploring the programme's main themes, such as child development, safeguarding, education and welfare. As you progress, you'll usually engage with applied projects grounded in real-world briefs, optional modules to broaden your knowledge, and placement or work-experience opportunities. The course typically culminates in specialist study in areas of particular interest to you, along with professional skills development and an independent research project that draws together your learning.
Who it's for
You're someone drawn to understanding child development, behaviour and wellbeing, and keen to translate that knowledge into real practice. You might be starting out in the sector, retaining and building on earlier experience, or considering a change of direction into work with children and young people. Part-time study suits those who need flexibility, perhaps you're working, caring for others, or managing other commitments. You'll be comfortable with reading, reflection and written work, and ready to engage critically with research as well as hands-on learning.
University & format
This Foundation degree is studied part-time at Hartlepool College of Further Education, a higher education college located in Hartlepool. The course leads to FDA award, a nationally recognised qualification awarded by a recognised UK degree-awarding body.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 75% |
| another higher-education qualification | 20% |
| Other | 10% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
The cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at HCFE →Check the finance route that applies to you
Support depends on ordinary residence, assessed fee status, course and provider nation. The provider nation is unresolved here, so no national cap or loan amount is being guessed.
Find your official student-finance route →Paying for it
- Tuition fee loan: applied for through the student-finance body for the UK nation you live in.
- Living-cost support: means-tested on household income, from your nation's student-finance body.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold set by your nation's student-finance system.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Each UK nation runs its own student-finance system; check gov.uk for the rates that apply to you.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What General Studies graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in general studies · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs General Studies nationally
National figures for General Studies graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Published threshold met. Sample size is not included in this snapshot. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Job market & outlook
How General Studies graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where General Studies graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Employers across sectors
- Public sector
- Corporates & charities
- Startups
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit General Studies graduates.
Is this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Home tuition is regulated and the cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Eligible students can apply for a tuition fee loan and living-cost support from the student-finance body for the UK nation they live in. Repayment thresholds differ by nation.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.5 out of 10: continued 75%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Combined and general studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Hartlepool College
2,052 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is General Studies right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to HCFE from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by HCFE; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check HCFE’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with HCFE and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at HCFE
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
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