2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LLLC2284 Changing Children's Life Chances

20 creditsClass Size: 30

Module manager: Rebecca Thorley
Email: r.thorley@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Module replaces

LLLC 2209

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module aims to explore the concepts of ‘life chances’, child poverty and social justice. Children born in poverty have lower birthweights and higher infant mortality, and are more likely to experience a wide range of physical and mental health and behavioural problems. Child poverty also has knock-on consequences for adult lives. Different explanations of poverty and their links to life chances and social justice will be investigated. This module will consider what are ‘life chances’, if they can be defined and measured, and if they are susceptible to policy intervention. This module will focus on policy areas, including early years, education and housing, where intervention might be a necessary component of any life chances strategy, starting from the premise that the most fundamental of all life chances is the chance to live a fulfilling and rewarding life, beginning in childhood. To develop as effective practitioners, students need to gain a strong foundation in understanding the impact of public policies on children and families, and how societal institutions could respond to these challenges. Students will research and evaluate a local social issue that affects children’s life chances and then use this research to present a project report to propose a potential solution. In doing this, students will have the opportunity to develop critical awareness of their local community as well as use relevant theory and research to justify the proposed solution to the identified problem

Objectives

This module aims to build upon general sociological theories of poverty and social justice. Students will be introduced to explanations about the antecedents and environmental factors associated with life chances and if these are susceptible to policy intervention.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Examine different conceptions of life chances, poverty, and social justice.
2. Critically analyse and evaluate how public policies affect children’s present and future life
chances.
3. Research and evaluate the effectiveness of local interventions to improve children’s life
chances.
4. Apply knowledge of local resources and relevant theory to identify a realistic intervention to
improve children’s life chances.

Syllabus

(Indicative) What is meant by ‘life chances’, Life chances and income, Family structure and life chances, the family environment and life chances, Early years provision and life chances, The impacts of poverty on children’s education, Housing, living environments and life chances for children, Children’s mental health, poverty and life chances, Education and employment transitions for young people’s life chances.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	10	2.00	20.00
Private study hours			180.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Reading (60 hours): students will be encouraged to use online materials available on the VLE and read appropriate texts including academic books and peer-reviewed journal articles to expand their learning
Research (40 hours): students will be encouraged to research a local social problem that affects children’s life chances relevant to the groupwork presentation to expand and apply their learning
Groupwork (30 hours): students will be required to deliver a group presentation about local resources relating to the specific life chances factor / social problem
Report writing (50 hours): students will be required to present a project report based on their research to propose a potential solution for the identified group issue

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Mid-semester / reading week: students to submit a 500 word group presentation plan for formative feedback

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Report	3,000 word project report	60.00
Presentation	10 minute small group presentation equivalent of 2000 words.	40.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:16:10

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