ED3PCS-Providing Childrenô€€’s Services

Module Provider: Institute of Education
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Ms Jo Elsey
Email: j.h.elsey@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
This module provides students with a broader understanding of the political and legislative context within which various forms of schooling and childcare have developed. It explores the shifting ideologies underpinning attempts to reform children􀀒s services over recent times and interrogates the notion of an integrated 􀀑children􀀒s workforce􀀒 with common concerns, skills and knowledge.

Aims:

To develop knowledge and understanding of: • Contemporary reform and conceptualisation of provision of education, health and care services for children • The political context of early years settings and schools and other children’s servicesÌý• The changing nature of work with children and young people, as demonstrated through attempts to ‘professionalise’ parts of the workforce, and the changing relationships of professionals with parents, children and each other. • The political context of approaches to the measurement of quality

Assessable learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, the student will be able to:

• Identify the impact of recent changes regionally or within the work-place


• Compare and contrast a range of childcare, educational and children’s services settings


• Illustrate the legacy of attempts by recent governments to reform children’s services


• Discuss the challenges and benefits of seeking evaluative feedback from children and young people


• Analyse own role in relation to conceptualisations of the modern professional in children’s services

Additional outcomes:
To develop the attitudes of a 􀀑change agent􀀒 and advocate for children and parents

Outline content:

• Early years Ìýand children’s services policy development in England from 1997 and implications • The legacy of Every Child Matters, new government policyÌýand multi-professional working • The ‘voice of the child’ and democratic participation • The movement towards a graduate led early years workforce and the relationship with other relevant graduate led workforces e.g. teaching, health and social care • Parents as partners in professional work

Global context:
􀀕 Global examples of successful practice

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Online materials will support a combination of lectures, seminars, group discussions, peer presentations, case studies, simulations and independent research. Complementary work-based tasks, independent activities and directed tasks will contribute to the achievement of the intended learning outcomes.