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Accessibility statement
Qualification dates
StartEnd
03 Oct 2026Jun 2027
In this engaging module, you'll discover how to support children and young people's wellbeing from birth to age 25 through evidence-based approaches. You'll explore how relationships, culture, education, and society shape wellbeing, focusing on key themes of rights, health, identity, creativity, and safeguarding. You'll examine diverse family structures, community influences, and the role of both formal and informal learning in young people's lives. Whether you work in education, care, or youth services – or aspire to – this module will help you develop essential skills for understanding and supporting young people's wellbeing across different contexts.
The module is divided into four blocks.
In Block 1, you’ll explore how wellbeing is understood and supported in policy and practice for children and young people aged 0–25. You’ll focus on evidence and knowledge-informed practice across areas such as children’s rights, conviviality, diversity, sustainable development and wellbeing, all within a social-ecological context. As you explore these foundational concepts, you’ll also develop the academic skills needed for Stage 2 study, building confidence and connecting ideas to your learning and career goals.
Block 2 focuses on relationships and their impact on wellbeing. You'll study diverse family structures, including the roles of parents, siblings, social carers, young carers, and early childhood services. The block highlights the influence of community and peer relationships and considers children’s agency within the cultural spaces and practices they navigate. You’ll explore how aspects of identity – including gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, disability, neurodivergence, and social class – influence children’s experiences and opportunities within these relational and cultural contexts.
Block 3 examines how risk-taking, safeguarding, and health can influence wellbeing. You’ll be introduced to a range of practice settings and practitioner roles and consider how shared responsibilities can be central to supporting wellbeing. The block also examines contemporary concerns such as disparities in physical and mental health, interactions with the looked-after care system, homelessness, and transitions between services.
Finally, in Block 4, you’ll explore different types of learning, both formal and informal, including peer-based, home-based, preschool, community, school-based, and impromptu approaches. You’ll examine how these varied learning contexts affect wellbeing and consider their complex social and cultural dynamics. The block concludes by examining how creative methods, co-production, and participation with young people can offer new insights for effective practice.
There are no formal academic or experiential requirements to study this module.
You will have a tutor who will help you with the study materials and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. Your tutor will also support you with the independent study aspects of the module. Tuition will take place through tutorials and forums. Your tutor will also keep in contact by phone.
Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Course work includes:
The module uses a blend of printed and online material. You'll have access to a module website, which includes:
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying KE207 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
Supporting children and young people's wellbeing (KE207) starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in 2032.
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