Course summary

The highly current BA (Hons) Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood programme is informed by the crucial significance of the formative years of 0-8 for health and wellbeing. It focusses on the early identification of barriers and risks to wellbeing (in its widest sense) and interventions through the development of early enabling environments for positive health and wellbeing. This degree provides understanding of the crucial 0-8 developmental stage, individual needs and the broader sociocultural context of young children and their families. The BA (Hons) Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood focusses on concepts such as multi-agency working with critical, reflective and evidence-based practice. Personal, professional and ethical values will be explored within health and social care practice with young children and their families. The BA (Hons) Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood degree enables graduates to support families and young children in a range of formal and informal education and health related settings. This programme supports those who aspire to become, for example, Early Help Workers attached to Children’s Centres, Family Health Workers; maternity healthcare support workers or midwifery assistants, child mental health support workers. The Department of Education’s focus is evident in the promotion of the Wellbeing for Education recovery programme post Covid. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2020) landmark report, prioritises three areas to be address in the UK: reducing child inequalities; prioritising public health, prevention and early intervention; and building and strengthening local and cross sector services. This places graduates undertaking the BA (Hons) Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood in a strong position to address these agendas in supporting young children in a variety of formal and informal educational and health roles and settings.