BA (Hons) Childhood Development and Playwork Bachelor's degree at Leeds Beckett University

Discover the origins of playwork as you investigate its history, theory and practice, assessing the relationship between them. This module supports you in developing a creative and reflective approach to your practice through a mix of workshops, lectures and offsite visits. While practitioner-led seminars will enable you to build a network of professional contacts.

This module introduces a range of developmental perspectives in relation to the playing child. You'll explore a range of theories and concepts of child development, identifying the key issues and contrasting theoretical orientations. Additionally, you'll be encouraged to consider the role of play in relation to children's development and wellbeing.

Develop your understanding of contemporary issues affecting children's lived experiences, focusing on the social policy context of childhood. You'll study the new sociology of childhood by examining key principles. This theory supports our understanding of what childhood means in both the UK and global settings. Relevant case studies are used to analyse the effects of the relationship between public opinion, media coverage and social policy processes on children's lived experiences over time and

Forming part one of your experiential learning, this module builds on what you studied during your first semester. You'll test key theories, principles and concepts of playwork in a range of practice-based learning scenarios spanning the professional sector. You'll then evaluate your self-developed learning aims to enhance your understanding of best practice principles in relation to playwork and the wider children's workforce.

Part two of your experiential learning considers models of organisational structure, policy development and impact assessment. You'll examine and evaluate processes of project delivery, organisational structures, socio-cultural contexts, and playwork practice. In doing so, you'll reflect on these elements and your role within them, assessing how effectively the agency meets its stated aims and objectives.

In part three of your experiential learning, you'll further your knowledge by putting theory into practice. Building on your first semester, you'll apply and reflect on ideas about childhood, development, and playwork in real-world settings. We'll support you in deepening your understanding through meaningful self-reflection, exploring how best practice can shape your own professional style. Finally, you'll evaluate what it means to become part of a community of practice and how you're establish

In this module you'll take a deeper dive into the real-world challenges you encountered during your experiential learning in your first year. Together, we'll explore these practice issues through a critical lens, encouraging you to question, apply, and critique playwork theories and concepts. You'll demonstrate your growing expertise by analysing how key theories operate across a range of professional contexts.

Analyse the children's rights debate using the theory you learnt in Childhood: Theory, Constructs & Concepts. This module helps you to distinguish between concepts of consultation, participation, and citizenship. We'll use critical sociological frameworks to explore factors informing and driving the children's rights agenda and formulate a rights-based framework specific to playwork. Applying relevant theory, you'll evaluate the effects of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

The first part of your experiential learning in your second year progresses directly from Experiential Learning: Theory & Practice Explored. This module enables you to advance your core and transferable practical skills. You'll extend your range of practice experience, tailoring your learning towards your career aspirations. Experiential learning in your second year offers a wider range of professional development opportunities, including overseas. During these modules, you'll test a series of s

Following on from Experiential Learning: Organisational Development, you'll enhance your understanding of agency delivery and practice in an area related to your career aspirations. You'll learn about and begin to develop analytical and evaluative frameworks, applying them to assess your chosen agency's policies and practices. This equips you with the knowledge and skills to build theoretical and conceptual frameworks for your final year research and dissertation modules.

Part three of your second year experiential learning draws on the reflective practices you learnt in Experiential Learning: Reflective Practice. We'll encourage you to consider the results of your reflections in relation to the concept of adult/child interactions and the impact of 'the self' on the playing child. You'll develop reflexive frameworks designed to deepen your learning and understanding in the context of your chosen agency. We'll support you to challenge best practice in accordance w

Build on the knowledge you developed in your first year with this option module focused on child development. You'll begin to apply your understanding of the role and function of play in relation to the development and maintenance of children's wellbeing. Throughout the module, you'll explore a range of interpretations of play from various developmental perspectives. You'll also integrate elements of play and child development, considering the impli