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Five careers for Working with Children, Young People and Families graduates
 Bradford Life Blog

  • By University of Bradford
  • Tagged under: Careers

A degree in Working with Children, Young People and Families can help you touch the lives of young people from all different backgrounds. Here are some of the rewarding roles you could find yourself in.

A Working with Children, Young People and Families degree opens a range of career options.

Areas of work include family support, youth justice and education. You could also work in charity and voluntary work, health and social care, leisure, and sport.

In addition to your degree studies, it's also possible to complete the Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce (Education or Social Care pathways) through the Learning Through Practice module. This qualification is the OFSTED requirement for those employed in the children's workforce.

Here are some potential career options. You may need additional qualifications or experience to apply for some of these roles.

Child psychotherapist

A child psychotherapist assesses children and young people up to the age of 25 with mental health issues.

Issues can range from anxiety, the trauma of abuse, eating disorders and self-harm. Child psychotherapists work with a team of other professionals to offer care in liaison with the service user's family.

To work as a child psychotherapist, you would need to do further study. The next step would be a postgraduate diploma or MA validated by The Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP). The final step would be to do further clinical training to get the award of Doctor of Psychology (DPsych).

Youth worker

Youth workers guide and support young people from 11 to 25 years old in their personal and social development.

Responsibilities of the role include:

  • organising and running community programmes
  • working in colleges
  • working with faith-based groups
  • working in schools and youth centres
  • delivering targeted street work to high-risk youth
  • writing assessments
  • organising community-based projects
  • building relationships based on trust
  • mentoring and coaching
  • working with the young person's family.

Training and development continues throughout the job. An apprenticeship as a Youth Support Worker (level 2 or 3 diploma) can lead to a degree, postgraduate diploma, or Master's.

An adult and child playing with building blocks.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) teacher

Special Educational Needs (SEN) teachers work with children who need extra support.

Reasons children need extra support could include:

  • physical disabilities
  • sensory impairment
  • speech and language difficulties
  • learning difficulties such as dyslexia and autism

Caring for social, emotional, and mental health needs can also include work with exceptionally gifted children. Role responsibilities include:

  • one-to-one and group work
  • marking and assessment
  • use of specialist skills such as Braille and sign language
  • help with personal care and medical needs

SEN teachers work with other professionals like speech and language therapists and educational psychologists.

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) requires a degree and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Qualified teachers can undertake extra training to teach SEN pupils.

English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher

English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers help adults and children learn English in the UK or overseas.

You could work in commercial language schools and in further and higher education.

You may need to work towards further qualifications, including:

  • TEFL Teaching English as a Foreign Language (required for overseas work)
  • TESL Teaching English as a Second Language (work for example with refugees or those needing English to settle into a new country)
  • TESOL Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Incorporates TEFL, TESL, ESOL and ESL

A child playing with wooden building blocks.

Family support worker

Family support workers make a positive impact on the lives of children, young people, and families.

They offer practical and emotional support.

They are employed by local authorities, Children's Services departments, and charities. They help to reduce risk and help with the challenges faced by service users. Some of these challenges include domestic abuse and mental and physical health issues.

Family support workers can be based in:

  • local authority offices
  • service users' homes
  • homeless refugees
  • local courts

Meetings, report writing, and the managing of caseloads balance out the more emotionally challenging parts of the job.

Find out more about our Working with Children, Young People and Families course and apply.