Childhood and Youth Studies

Childhood and youth studies is a multidisciplinary field that examines the lives, rights, and social contexts of children and young people from birth through adolescence. It draws on developmental psychology, sociology, social policy, education, law, and cultural studies to build a comprehensive picture of what it means to grow up in contemporary society and what conditions allow children and young people to flourish. The field takes children and young people seriously as active agents in their own lives rather than simply as subjects of adult decisions and policies.

At Bedfordshire this part-time degree combines current theory with practical experience, developing your understanding of child development and child welfare alongside the social policies and legislation that shape services for children and families. You will begin by exploring foundational questions in child development and welfare, then move into specialist areas in your later years, which may include mental health, disability, special educational needs and disability, and youth violence. The digital dimensions of childhood are woven throughout the curriculum, reflecting the significant role that technology now plays in how children grow up, communicate, and encounter risk.

Practical experience is embedded in the programme alongside theoretical study, ensuring you develop the applied understanding that employers in children's services look for alongside academic knowledge.

Graduates move into careers in social work, early years and childcare, education and teaching, family support, youth work, safeguarding, children's rights advocacy, and policy. Many go on to professional training in social work, early years practice, or teaching, using the degree as a foundation. Others continue to postgraduate study in childhood studies, social policy, or education.

The part-time structure makes the degree accessible to students who are already working in related fields and looking to formalise or extend their knowledge.