Foundation Degree in Youth and Social Care

In a nutshell

Working in youth and social care can be incredibly rewarding. The sector and the services and roles within it are changing constantly and there are increased demands on staff to deliver high standards of quality and compassionate care and to constantly evolve to gain new skills and maintain relevant skills.

The FDA Youth and Social Care has been developed with the purpose, values and principles required for working with young people in social care, as well as working with children, families and communities.

Based within the School of Care at our Crosskeys campus in Caerphilly, this is an integrated programme, that combines the theoretical concepts that relate to young people, caring for them and helping them to care for themselves, whilst working within the broader care sector.

This course is for you if...

...you work or would like to work in social care environemnt

...you are looking to improve your career opportunities and would like to move into more managerial type positions within social care

What will I be doing?

The underpinning philosophy of the programme is focused on widening career pathway opportunities for learners to enable them to ultimately better meet the diverse needs of the young people and their families within the communities. Social care with young people has a wide context which factors in: housing & homeless services, Local Authority Care services, mental health & well-being services, community engagement projects, addiction services, youth justice services, sport and health interventions, domestic abuse provision, NEET intervention, EOTAS and pupil referral services.

You will develop a flexible and reflective approach to professional practice, founded on the principles and ethos of working with young people within a social care setting. You will develop an increased awareness of the different roles and functions of statutory, voluntary and third sector organisations and the different constraints within the current policy context.

You will study the following modules:

Level 4:

• Introduction to Communication, Counselling Skills
• Creative group work with young people
• Academic skills and project research for working with young people
• Adolescence and wellbeing; identifying and Supporting developmental transitions
• Introduction to Social Pedagogy
• Social Pedagogy in Placement

Level 5:

• Understanding Social Policy
• Safeguarding
• Applied Research
• Shaping success: Management, measurement and quality of work in a social care setting
• Social Pedagogy in Placement 2

Employability is key to the course and it contains 400 hours of work placement and will provide you with experience of social care and young people across level 4 and 5. Placements can be conducted within a range of social care settings which will enable you to be immersed in social care practice.

The FDA Youth and Social Care has a range of assessment methods designed to support you in the development, and building of excellent communication skills and digital fluency. The methods include:

• Presentations
• Posters
• Reports
• Overview papers
• Web-site contributions
• Essays

What is expected of me?

Applications to the course will be considered on an individual basis. Typical entry requirements are detailed below, however if you don’t meet these criteria, then your work and life experience will be taken into consideration, please get in touch to talk this through.

Combinations of the qualifications below are acceptable and other qualifications not listed may also be acceptable.

Typical A-Level Offer – DD.

Typical BTEC Offer - relevant BTEC level 3 profile of Merit/Pass or Pass/Pass/Pass.

The Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in place of one A-level at the grades specified, excluding any subject specific requirements.

Typical Access to HE Offer – Pass Diploma with 45 credits at level 3 in a related subject.

What comes next?

From Foundation Degree to Honours:

• BA (Hons) Working with Children and Families*
• BSc (Hons) Criminology & Criminal Justice and Youth Justice
• BA (Hons) Public Services

*subject to re-validation

Additional information

Students on this course will need to pay for a DBS check at a cost of £45.00.