Nursing -Child

Children's nursing is a specialist field within the nursing profession, requiring practitioners who combine advanced clinical knowledge with the interpersonal sensitivity to care for patients who may be very young, afraid, or unable to articulate their own needs. Children and young people have distinct physiological and psychological needs from adults, and caring for them requires a specialist understanding of development from newborn through to late adolescence, as well as the ability to engage with the whole family as a unit of care, not just the child in the clinical setting.

At Birmingham City University, this three-year full-time BSc (Hons) in Children's Nursing is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and leads to eligibility to register as a children's nurse. You will study child development, paediatric anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, family-centred care, safeguarding, acute and long-term condition management, and the ethical and legal frameworks that govern nursing practice with children and young people. Clinical placement experience across a range of paediatric settings is central to the programme, including paediatric wards, neonatal units, community children's nursing, CAMHS, and specialist services, giving you the breadth of exposure needed to develop as a rounded and competent children's nurse.

BCU's Birmingham location provides access to a wide range of NHS trusts and healthcare organisations for placement, and the university's strong links to local health providers support both clinical learning and graduate employment.

Qualified children's nurses work in NHS paediatric wards, neonatal units, children's community nursing teams, school nursing, CAMHS, specialist paediatric centres, and independent healthcare. Many develop clinical specialisms as their careers progress, and others move into education, research, advanced practice, or nursing management. The NMC-registered qualification supports employment across the UK and internationally.