Children'S Nursing & Social Work

Children's nursing and social work is a dual qualification that prepares graduates to work with vulnerable children and young people across two of the most important professional roles in children's services. Children's nurses provide clinical care to children and young people with acute and chronic health conditions, supporting not only patients but their families through periods of illness and treatment. Social workers safeguard children and young people at risk, supporting families under stress, making assessments, and working within legal and multi-agency frameworks to protect the most vulnerable.

At Edge Hill University, this four-year, full-time programme is one of the few in the country that enables you to achieve dual registration, making you eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a qualified children's nurse and to apply for registration with Social Work England as a qualified social worker. This is an unusually demanding but also unusually rewarding qualification, requiring substantial time in both clinical nursing placements and social work practice placements, giving you real experience in both professions before you graduate.

The combination of nursing and social work knowledge, skills, and registration is particularly valuable in complex safeguarding situations, where children may have both health needs and welfare concerns, and where the most effective responses require professionals who can work fluidly across health and social care. Graduates are in strong demand in NHS trusts, local authority children's services, hospital social work teams, and integrated health and social care organisations. Many go on to develop specialist expertise in areas such as child protection, community health, complex needs, or looked-after children, and some pursue postgraduate study in child health, social work, or related fields.