Leadership in Therapeutic Child & Social Care

Course Description

The MA (Leadership in Therapeutic Child & Social Care) was founded in order to promote fundamental and positive change in social care practice. We continue to believe that care settings that are therapeutic, client-centered and community minded are better and safer for the people we care for. This programme trains qualified staff to work in such settings or bring about changes in their present settings.



The course therefore works as a community of students and staff, a learning space that is oc-operative and not competitive. It can be a safe place for students to explore and get support for personal issues, as well as professional and academic matters.



Who is this course for?

The programme is aimed qualified practitioners in Social Care (and similar professions) who wish to work therapeutically and at a deeper level. We welcome applications from social care practitioners and other experienced professionals who are interested in progressive and therapeutic practice.



Work Experience

Visit of Observation

Students have the unique opportunity to be a participant observer at a work setting of their choice. This allows learners to see and experience how the work setting of their choice works and operates. Students’ choice may be informed by their professional interest or the focus of their dissertation. The Visit is undertaken during the summer break between Year 1 and Year 2.



Residential Community Experience During the course, learners will twice have an opportunity, away from the campus, to experience living together as a community. This experience deepens the learning process and has been a huge contribution to the success of the students on the course.

The programme is designed to enhance the learners’ knowledge and skills in the use of a variety of therapeutic approaches to the treatment of children and adults who have suffered emotional and psychological hurts. Modules studied include:



Year 1

Advanced Therapeutic Child and Social Care: Therapeutic Work in Context

Philosophy and Ehtics of Therapeutic Child and Social Care

Observing and Understanding Organisational Life (incl. Visit of Observation)

Experiential Group: Leading Self



Year 2

Advanced Therapeutic Child and Social Care: Therapeutic Communication

Leadership and Management in Therapeutic Child and Social Care

Experiential Group: Leading Self and Others

Research Methods and Dissertation

Minimum requirements for this programme are:



1. Hold a primary degree (if experienced) or Honours Bachelor in Applied Social Studies or equivalent*.



2. Be registered or eligible to register as a Professional Social Care Worker**

OR

3. Be in employment in a human services agency as a manager, team leader or front-line practitioner



4. Satisfactory pass at interview



*Applicants who do not satisfy the academic criteria may be accepted onto the course if the Course Selection Board is satisfied that they have the ability to complete the course.



** Applications are welcome from those professionally qualified in a discipline other than social care who have at least two years’ professional practice experience.



Please note: this programme is not a professional award for registration as a Social Care Worker

2 years; 4 semesters (on-campus).



Indicative Timetable

Thursdays 10:00 – 17:30

Start: September 2026

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the programme mhave become Directors of Care, Lecturers in Social Care, and HIQA Inspectors. Some have gone on to research at PhD level and to professional doctorates. Many are content to remain in practice, but work at a deeper and more clinical level. However, many students who arrived on teh course as social care workers soon became team leaders because of the information and kills they were taking back to the workplace.