Working with children can be extremely rewarding and sometimes challenging. You will need to be responsible, approachable, patient and be able to show commitment to equality, diversity and supporting the needs of others. Here we list potential job roles and some of the leading companies in that sector.
Career options
- Target jobs: I'm interested in careers working with children – what jobs can I do?
- Prospects: Working with children
- Get Into Teaching: Early year teaching - These roles are with children below 5 years and are paid £15,000 - £26,000 p.a. The role is open to graduates of any degree discipline although early years, psychology, social sciences, child-related or education degrees may be preferred. Once basic experience has been obtained there is the opportunity to progress into a managerial / advisory role
- Prospects: Early years teaching job profile including training routes
- British Psychological society: Becoming an Educational Psychologist
- Prospects: Educational psychologist profile
- University of Kent: Working in social work
- Prospects: Family support worker
- National careers service: Nursery manager
- National careers service: Nursery nurse
- Prospects: Youth worker
- University of Kent: Working in Counselling
- British Association of Play Therapists: Play Therapy training routes and job description
- Prospects: Psychotherapist
- Prospects: Art therapist
- Target Jobs: Music therapist
- Prospects: Drama therapist
- Health careers: Children’s nurse
- Health careers: Health visitor
- Health careers: Occupational Therapist
- Health Careers: Speech and Language therapist
- Institute of Health Promotion and Education (IPHE): Career pathways in health promotion
- Prospects: Health promotion specialist
- Prospects: Community development worker
- Charity job: Careers in the charity sector
- Prospects profile: Events manager
- All About Careers profile: Outdoor pursuits manager
- Prospects profile: Photographer - portrait or schools photography
Companies
- Children & Young People Now Jobs: Job opportunities and careers advice covering health, social care, education, childcare, youth work, youth justice
- Charity Job: Charity worker, fundraising, NGO and not for profit jobs
- Education: Check local authority web pages for support roles
- Times Educational Supplement (TES): Opportunities in teaching and other roles in schools and colleges
- Recruitment agencies handle many jobs in schools including teaching and support roles
- Local Government Jobs: Listing job opportunities in local authority social services, youth services and some educational settings
- NHS Jobs: Job opportunities including trainee positions across all aspects of the NHS
- National Citizen Service: Summer opportunities to work with young people
- Social Work: Local authority websites
- Frontline: Employed route to train as a social worker for children and families
Find out more
- Charity Choice: Search for charities across the UK involved in working with children, not all can afford to post on job boards
- Local Government Jobs: Listing job opportunities in local authority social services, youth services and some educational settings
- National Children's Bureau: Umbrella body for organisations working with children and young people in England & Northern Ireland
- Get into teaching: Explore training routes, application advice and funding
- Health careers: Information on all aspects of careers in the NHS including a course finder for accelerated graduate courses for health professions
- Open University: Courses and advice on skills for childhood and youth careers
- Working with Kids: Tips, advice and opportunities to work with children
DBS Checks
For all work with children, young people or vulnerable adults you will need to get a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Usually the company/organisation, you are working for apply for the DBS check but you can apply as an individual.
Access DBS overview for further information.