Distance learning program Social work – Professional child and youth protection (M.A.) – FHM

Requirements and Target Group

The Master's programme “Social Work – Professional Child and Youth Protection (M.A.)” is aimed at professionals who are already working in social work, social pedagogy, educational sciences or related fields and wish to qualify for demanding tasks in child and youth protection. The target group includes social workers, specialists in youth and social services offices, employees in counselling centres, child protection centres as well as in youth welfare institutions who want to assess, support and provide professional advice on complex protection cases. The part-time programme is particularly suitable for individuals who want to professionalise their practical skills in child protection alongside their profession and prepare for senior specialist advisory functions, management tasks or specialised fields of action within child and youth welfare.

What formal admission criteria apply?

For admission to the Master's programme, you need to provide the following documents:

• A completed Bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification (Diploma, Magister) in social work, social pedagogy, educational sciences or a related social sector degree programme
• Submission of a CV
• Proof of higher education entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, Fachhochschulreife)
• Proof of a relevant university degree

For the certificate “insoweit erfahrene Fachkraft/Fachberatung im Kinderschutz” within the programme the following is additionally required:

• A (social) pedagogical or psychological university degree
• Professional experience in a field of social work dealing with child protection cases (for example youth welfare office, counselling, residential facilities)
• Willingness to participate in 75 hours of courses and at least 80% attendance
• Completion of a written case reflection and participation in a final colloquium

Personal requirements and appropriate prior experience

You should have the willingness for self-reflection and critical engagement with your own professional and personal attitudes. Important are a cooperative, participatory basic attitude, empathy and communication skills, but also resilience and the ability to maintain professional distance. Experience in dealing with conflicts, counselling settings and interdisciplinary collaboration in youth welfare is helpful. Decision-making ability, sense of responsibility and an interest in legal as well as ethical issues in child protection are considered advantageous. For the online studies, you need organisational skills and the ability to structure content independently and organise your learning times.

Study Content in Detail: How Do You Specialise in Professional Child and Youth Protection?

The master's programme “Social Work – Professional Child and Youth Protection (M.A.)” provides you with advanced skills for child and youth welfare. You engage intensively with psychosocial diagnostics, developmental psychology in childhood and adolescence, as well as current methods of professional practice. Key study contents include:

• Methodology and psychosocial diagnostics in child and youth welfare: You learn to recognise, assess and professionally document risks to the child’s welfare.
• Clinical developmental psychology: In-depth knowledge of developmental courses and disorders in children and adolescents.
• Conflict management and person-centred approach: You practise acting confidently in conflictual situations and working systemically with families.
• Professional writing, documentation and digitalisation: Skills in legally compliant, standardised documentation and handling digital tools.
• Child and youth protection in the fields of youth welfare: Reflection on practical protection concepts as well as specific challenges in institutions.
• Legal and ethical foundations, children’s rights: Overview of laws, ethical guidelines and international children’s rights conventions.
• Interdisciplinary case and risk management: Networked action and risk assessment in multiprofessional teams.
• Specialist counselling in child protection: Qualification as an experienced specialist staff member with mandatory practical phases and final certification.

Additionally, you will train research skills, reflection ability and the transfer of theory into practice. A focus lies on preventive and intervention-oriented child protection.