There is one reason and one reason alone for studying for this master’s in Childhood and Youth Studies: Gary and I would love to either adopt or foster in the future. In order for this to happen, one of my adult children need to move out. We knew that the likelihood of Ads and Charlotte moving out before Ads had graduated was slim. Charlotte wasn’t well enough to hold down the full time job she would need to meet the rent and bills. And Lillie is just not ready to move out…not yet ❤️
We had applied to foster through an agency and were in the middle of the process when Ads moved in. So we put fostering on hold. With fostering no longer an option, I had a bit of time on my hands. You know me and time on my hands is not a good mix so I set about thinking how I might fill that time. I’ve always loved studying and am very motivated so a master’s seemed like the obvious choice.
Right from the start, I knew I wanted most of my learning to be based on or around ‘looked after’ children. I felt that the more I could learn about their particular needs the better a foster carer I would be. My project at the end of year one was a literature review on the things that mattered to looked after children.
Year One: Children and Childhood
First year was literally all about children and childhood. It was so interesting I absolutely felt I was able to keep up and that I was not at any disadvantage not being in the work place. The second year is called Frameworks for Critical Practice with Children and Young People. In the first year, I easily got a distinction, this year it is going to be incredibly difficult because one of the requirements for the higher marks is that you are able to critically analyse the policies at work. Not being in work puts me at a huge disadvantage. I do intend to talk to my tutor about this, because people who are not at work are still encouraged to apply…but honestly, I don’t see how we can do as well as those who are in work and have said policies to critically evaluate 😢
Year Two: Frameworks for Critical Practice with Children and Young People
I’ve almost finished my work for this term having got a start on it before the course actually started (we had access to it for about three weeks before it officially started). This means I’m going to have about six weeks to focus on my first assignment. I’ve looked forward to future assignments and tentatively chosen the options within each of the three assignments. We also have a rather large examinable assignment, so I’m beginning to think about what I might want to focus on for this. Knowing what topics are coming up and what I might do my assignments on means I can really make use of the reading I do. For example, there might be studies I can use for assignment one and two…
Today, I’ve completed the fourth activity: Doing participatory research with disabled children and the fifth activity: Working with minority ethnic young people in Swansea. I’ve also typed up my notes for my assignment. Right now, I just want to get everything down in a document (albeit a very long one), after which I can start figuring out what to keep and what to get rid of.
I have one more activity to complete and a couple of research articles to read before I’ve finished all the work set for this term. My goal was to get this finished by the end of November, which I reckon I will be able to do next week.
I’m struggling to concentrate, so I’m going to call it a day for now. Gary’s home from work and Lillie’s home from Uni so I think I’m going to go and cook dinner and move this body of mine, instead of being in the sitting position I’ve been in most of the day!
Hope you all had a wonderful day!