Education, Mental Health and SEND

Program Overview

This unique undergraduate program in Mental Health and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) equips students with the knowledge and skills to address the mental health and educational needs of children and young people. Through a combination of theoretical and practical learning, students explore inclusive practices, trauma-informed approaches, and the importance of social justice in education. Graduates are prepared for careers in various fields, including education, mental health, and social work.

Program Outline

Undergraduate Education, Mental Health and SEND (BA Hons)

Degree Overview:

(Information from Leeds Trinity University website)

This unique, vocationally focused inclusive education degree explores two central themes: Mental Health and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) in children and young people.

You'll delve into these areas throughout your studies, focusing on the role of education in creating a fair and inclusive society. The course examines how education impacts the life chances of children and young people, while promoting a deeper understanding of trauma-informed and responsive practices within the field.

Objectives:

• Equip students with the knowledge, skills, and experience to understand and address the mental health and SEND needs of children and young people.
• Explore the current themes in mental health impacting inclusive practices in education and related sectors.
• Examine the importance of race equity, social justice, and diversity in educational settings.
• Discuss the challenges marginalized communities face in today's society.
• Apply theoretical knowledge to professional practice through work placements in a variety of educational, health, and social care settings.
• Gain valuable employability skills and prepare for a successful career in the field.

Outline:

(Information from Leeds Trinity University website)

Year 1:

• Academic Skills, Personal and Professional Development: This module equips students with essential academic skills, including referencing, time management, and critical thinking.
It also focuses on personal and professional development, exploring ethical, sustainability, and social justice issues relevant to the chosen field.
• Safeguarding and Child Protection: Students explore current legislation, policies, and frameworks related to safeguarding and protecting children.
They gain expertise in child protection procedures and learn about the different categories of abuse.
• Supporting Children's Mental Health in Education: This module delves into the prevalence and spectrum of children's mental health conditions.
Students explore interdisciplinary theories related to mental health and understand the influence of potential impacting factors on treatment and well-being.
• Special Educational Needs and Disability in Practice: Students will gain insight into the assessment and identification process for SEND, and the current policy and practice landscape of SEND and inclusive practices across various educational settings.
They will study definitions, theories, and models of educational inclusion, including neurodiversity linked to SEND. This module emphasizes developing values and motivations for becoming a successful special education needs and inclusion practitioner.
• Children’s Learning and Development: Students explore the changing concepts of childhood and the stages of development, including personal, social, physical, emotional, moral, and technological development.
They will gain insights into learning and development interventions, including using play to support children's learning and development.

Year 2:

• Trauma-informed and Responsive Practices: This module introduces students to the approaches of trauma-informed and responsive, relational, and restorative practices employed in various service provision contexts and in education.
They will learn about the principles of trauma-informed practice and the theory underpinning it.
• Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice: Students delve into research methodologies, including their key features, usefulness, and application in different contexts.
They critically examine research methodologies, with an emphasis on ethical research conduct, and learn to design, conduct, and write up research, understanding the relationship between research, policy, and practice.
• Professional Placement: This core module involves three stages: preparation, work placement, and reflection.
Students receive workshops to develop their employability skills, analyze their career prospects, and gain practical experience in getting and undertaking a professional placement. They complete a short weekly reflective log reflecting on the practical skills gained through their placement experience and how they apply theoretical understanding in practice.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusive Educational Practice: This module covers key concepts of inclusion, diversity, and social justice and their relationship to educating children and young people.
Students explore diverse identities and students' subjectivities across social class, gender, race and ethnicity, sexuality, disability and SEN, and intersectional identities. They reflect on and reframe their own position and practice to recognize and reduce inequalities when working with children and young people.
• Contemporary Challenges in Education: Students explore the purpose and function of educational systems and structures before being guided through a thematic approach to current educational issues to stimulate student engagement in developing practice.
They draw upon disciplines that inform contemporary discourses on learning, including philosophy, sociology, history, and psychology.

Year 3:

• Research Project: Students conduct an independent research study within a chosen field of education, receiving support to design, conduct, and report on a specific topic of their interest.
They apply the knowledge and skills developed throughout the course and extend their knowledge and understanding of a specific area of research utilizing either primary or secondary strategies and the appropriate methodological approaches.
• Inclusive Practice in Education: This module introduces the practice for specific areas of need, levels, and types of SEND, including cognition and learning, speech language and communication, SEMH, sensory and physical disabilities, including specific learning difficulties, autism, and neurodiverse children and young people.
Students learn methods and approaches used to coordinate SEND provision in line with current national policy and advice across an educational setting. They develop ways of working effectively with individuals and their families to optimize the voice of the child and their family in developing appropriate plans and interventions.
• Family Support and Leading Interventions in Education: Students analyze the role of parents in fostering a child's engagement and achievement within the education system.
They examine how a child's systematic environment of home life and key familial relationships can impact their readiness to learn and the impact that parental needs and challenges can bring to any given situation. They also explore different interventions and approaches that can be utilized by settings to foster an ethos of collaborative partnership work with parents, promoting the active involvement and cooperation of parents with their child's education. Students will gain a critical understanding of the cultural perspectives around parental involvement and a range of interventions to support parents and children. They will be introduced to several parenting programs used within early help and education settings to evaluate their usefulness and potential ethical and philosophical considerations.
• Therapeutic Practices in Education: This module introduces students to a range of therapeutic practices employed within educational settings for children with social, emotional, and mental health needs.
Students develop their practice with children and young people using evidence-based intervention strategies and gain knowledge, skills, and understanding of various interventions, including direct work with children and young people, group work, cognitive behavior strategies, psycho-educational approaches for anxiety and low mood, bereavement, and mindfulness.
• Professional Learning Through Work: Students engage in theoretical understanding through practical work-based development in their chosen context.
This could be in a public, private, or community sector organization. They participate in workshops, events, and "employer challenges" to boost their confidence and prepare for their placement. During their placement, they gain degree-relevant work experience, build their knowledge of career sectors, and secure valuable employer references and industry contacts. This experience helps them shape their career decisions and find the right path for their future.

Assessment:

(Information from Leeds Trinity University website) "A variety of assessment methods are used, matched to the learning outcomes for your programme, allowing you to apply and demonstrate the full range of knowledge and skills that you have developed."

Teaching:

(Information from Leeds Trinity University website) "We have a strong reputation for developing student employability, supporting your development towards graduate employment, with relevant skills embedded throughout your programme of study. We endeavor to develop curiosity, confidence, courage, ambition, and aspiration in all students through the key themes in our Learning and Teaching Strategy."

Careers:

(Information from Leeds Trinity University website) With the increased focus on inclusive education, graduates of this program will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to pursue various career paths. Potential career opportunities include:

• Family Support Workers
• Therapeutic and Pastoral Roles within Education
• Education and Mental Health Practitioners
• Children's Wellbeing Practitioners in NHS or Healthcare Settings
• Social Workers
• Housing Officers
• Police Officers
• Government Social Researchers
Graduates can also pursue postgraduate studies in areas such as:
• PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education)
• Master's Degrees in Education, Mental Health, or SEND

Other:

(Information from Leeds Trinity University website)

• Work placement opportunities are available in a variety of settings, including schools, youth centers, and other organizations working with children and young people.
• Students will learn from experienced practitioners who are experts in their fields.
• The program has a strong emphasis on social justice and equity, reflecting the commitment of Leeds Trinity University to creating a more inclusive society.

Tuition fees cost £9,250 a year for this course in 2024/2025. Part-time tuition fees will be prorated accordingly to the number of credits you're studying. Depending on government policy, tuition fees may change in future years. Tuition fees for 2025/26 entry will be set in summer 2024. Living costs, e.g. accommodation, travel, food, will also need to be taken into consideration. Leeds Trinity offers a range of bursaries and scholarships to help support students while you study. International Students, including EU Students: Visit our webpage for international students. Part-time study is not available for international students on a Student Route Visa.