Working with children means understanding diverse childhoods, individual contexts as well as societal influences. What does it mean to be a child? What does childhood mean in today’s society, locally and globally?

Childhood and Education subject area comprises degree and continuous development courses, research and partnerships related to childhoods, children, their families and others around them, such as schools, learning and teaching and inclusive practice in other settings and contexts. The degrees support local and international collaborations across health, social care, social justice and education. The courses offer additional qualifications such as Social Pedagogy Practitioner and Early Years Graduate Practitioner. Register for an Open Day and discover all the University of Suffolk has to offer.

We are well known internationally for being the first institution to run the UK's Early Childhood Studies degree programme and for hosting the biennial International Children and Childhoods Conference. In the 2024 university rankings, we were 3rd in the country in childhood studies. As experienced as we are passionate, we draw on our research to support your learning and help you explore your passions and interests.

Our values are founded on the principle that education is for everyone. Education is a right, and has the potential to transform lives. We believe that children, young people and adults all deserve the right to a high-quality education as a foundation for a more secure future. The values of social justice are present in our education-related programmes, as well as other study pathways, children’s rights, relationality and creating an inclusive society are central to our values. We model these values in the teaching on our study programmes, with students from diverse background and with a variety of needs appreciating the support University of Suffolk and our course tutors provide. We are committed to developing knowledge and skills that are transferable and necessary to succeed in a changing world.