Master of Arts in Child and Youth Care p/t

Master of Arts in Child and Youth Care NFQ Level 9

Social care is an evolving sector which addresses the needs of people who experience marginalisation or disadvantage or who have ‘special needs’. One of the largest sub-disciplines within this sector is that of child and youth care. Child and youth care workers work with children who are at risk of not reaching their developmental potential, or who already have experienced difficulties in development, as a result of social disadvantage.

Over the past ten years the needs and circumstances of clients and the forms of care have changed considerably. Some of the current challenges for the profession include the evolution of specializations in therapeutic approaches, the development of a multidisciplinary approach to the care of children and youth, and an appreciation of an increasingly rights-based approach to policy and practice.

The MA in Child and Youth Care aims to equip highly competent and motivated child and youth care workers with the skills necessary to become leaders in the profession and to advance the field to internationally accepted standards of best practice.Graduates of the programme will have specialised knowledge of child development, risk and resilience; will appreciate and advocate the rights approach to the care of children and youth; and will be in a position to develop empirically-based intervention programmes for children and young people. The programme will promote a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to the care of the young, and will make a significant contribution to the move from crisis-based approaches to early intervention and prevention of problems.

Minimum Entry Requirements

Students are expected to have a minimum of an honours Bachelor degree (Level 8) in Applied Social Studies in Social Care at grade 2.2 or an approved equivalent qualification. Applicants who hold a 2.2 grade Honours Degree or higher in a cognate discipline may also be considered. In addition, candidates will ideally be employed in a child and youth care setting.

Modules

Year 1 - Research Methods, Models of Care, Child and Youth Law

In the first year, students will critically evaluate current models of care and current policy and legislative approaches to children and youth. Emphasis will be placed on comparing current practices with internationally accepted standards of best practice. They will gain a comprehensive knowledge of research methods which will prepare the student for the completion of their research dissertation in the second year.

Year 2 - Resilience and Interventions, Children’s Rights, Management in Child and Youth Care, Research Dissertation

In the second year, students will complete their research dissertation on a specialised topic within the area of child and youth care. Students will be encouraged to apply their research to a problem within their own work environment to advance their current practice and that of their organisation. Students will also examine best practice models in interventions with children and youth, will gain a thorough and critical understanding of the rights based approach to children, and will assess the development of management practices within a multidisciplinary environment.

Progression

Professional Recognition

Career Opportunities

Graduates with a Master’s degree can reasonably be expected to rise to advanced positions within the child and youth care sector including senior executive level. The rights-based approach of the programme will equip graduates for emerging professional roles within the sector including those of children’s rights officers and guardian ad litem. Graduates will be well placed to manage and develop empirically-based intervention and prevention-based programmes and to conduct their own research to an internationally accepted standard in evaluating these programmes.

It is expected that graduates of the programme will be at the forefront of the development of the child and youth care sector, in particular in the context of its increasingly rights-based and legislative framework.

Additional Information

Programme fees in 2012/2013 are €2,950 per annum.

Please note that this programme requires students to undergo the Garda Vetting Process.