Working with children and young people – Details, episodes & analysis

David Thompson has held a number of roles working in children’s social care and started his own business at the age of 24. David shares what he believes makes good quality practice, especially for supported accommodation services. We discuss the importance of trauma informed practice and understanding child development and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). David highlights the opportunities and challenges facing the supported accommodation sector, especially considering new Ofsted regulations. David stresses the importance of “collaboration over competition” and shares how he is working to improve standards and outcomes for children and young people on a local, regional and national level.

 

Links mentioned in the episode:

Learn more about and join the National Association of Supported Accommodation Partners (NASAP)

Learn more about David's business and to see current job vacancies Inicio Group⁠

Laura Wood shares her experiences of being a Youth Worker Team Coordinator for a Community Interest Group. Laura discusses the importance of youth work and what ‘good’ quality youth work looks like. Laura charts her work experience with children and young people and the different types of youth work that are available. Laura explains why she felt it was important to gain her JNC qualification (qualified youth worker status) and how this impacted her salary. Laura studied BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth at the University of Northampton and later an MA in Youth and Community Leadership. 

Tim has secured a job as a Kindergarten Teacher in China working with 3-4 year olds. Tim graduated from the University of Bedfordshire in 2023 after studying BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education (Graduate Practitioner). Tim shares his experiences of working with young children abroad and how to find jobs in other countries. We discuss salary expectations and how to negotiate a competitive salary and other employment perks.  

Resources mentioned in the episode:

The job website Tim mentions is: https://www.teachaway.com/

Nathan is the Co-Founder and Director of WiSupport and WiNurture Childcare. Nathan’s work is centred around supporting children, young people and adults in residential care, independent supported accommodation and outreach services for those in the social care system. Nathan studied BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies at the University of Bedfordshire and during his studies had a part time job as a Residential Care Worker. Nathan reflects on how these experiences ignited his passion for working in the sector and how within a few years he had started his own company. Nathan reflects on the challenges and opportunities facing the social care sector and offers insights into how his organisation is responding to these issues. Nathan is a strong advocate for children and young people's rights and has won multiple awards for his contribution to improving the sector. Nathan offers advice and guidance for people interested in working in the sector and provides an overview of different job roles, salary expectations and what he personally looks for in an ideal candidate.  

Jez discusses his role as the Co-Founder and Engagement Director at a digital mental wellbeing company called youHQ. Jez explains how he went from being a PE Teacher and Director of Sport at a secondary school to an entrepreneur. Jez offers advice for how to set up your own business and how to stand out in a competitive EdTech market. We discuss the role digitals tools can play in supporting children and young people’s wellbeing and how to respond to safeguarding concerns.

Links to resources mentioned in the episode:

Learn more about youHQ

In this student take over episode Charlotte and Sam reflect on their studies so far and to what extent they have decided what they would like to do post graduation. They highlight the challenges of finding time to explore different career options and how to achieve a healthy study, work, life balance.

Charlene discusses her role as a Holiday Activity and Food Programme Coordinator for a local council. Charlene studied BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth at the University of Northampton and secured a place on the Local Government Association (LGA) graduate scheme, also known as the National Graduate Development Programme (NGDP). Charlene reflects on being a mature student and her career change from the finance sector to children and young people’s services. Charlene highlights the value of her work placements for securing her role and the importance of knowing your values.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Learn more about the graduate scheme

https://www.local.gov.uk/ngdp-candidates

In this episode I am joined by Emma Brooks to explore different routes into teaching. We discuss undergraduate options and postgraduate options like a PGCE, SCITT, Lead Partners, Teach Now, Teach First and Future Teaching Scholars. We discuss the differences in these routes and the key considerations when trying to decide which might be the best option for you. We also provide top tips for teacher training applications and interviews.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Get into teaching website

Bursaries and scholarships information

Free Level 2 Safeguarding qualification

Sophie Flett discusses her role as an Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) and her key roles and responsibilities. Sophie works with 5-18 year olds to help support and improve their mental health through one-to-one, group work and/or parent led support. As part of her role, Sophie draws on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and highlights the importance of drawing on research informed strategies. Sophie was a Primary School Teacher for 7 years so this role marks a change in her career. Sophie explains what sparked the career change and how she managed to secure a role in the mental health sector.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Find out more about the Education Mental Health Practitioner role on the NHS website

⁠5 ways to wellbeing from the NHS⁠

Podcast Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Kuzi Ngaru discusses her role as a Paediatric Coordinator and Social Prescriber with the NHS. She explains how she supports the health outcomes and social needs of the children, young people and families she works with and the importance of multi-agency working. Kuzi shares how studying BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth at the University of Northampton supported her on her employment journey. Kuzi explains how she managed multiple jobs and had to make hard decisions about what to prioritise. Kuzi shares her top tips for writing tailored job applications, person specifications and how to succeed in interviews. During the episode, we reflect on people’s tendency to compare their successes and (perceived) failings to others around them and how this can be detrimental.