Finding a job working with children and young people

Graduates wanting to work with children and young people enter a variety of sectors with a range of employers including local authorities, local and national charities, state and independent schools, nurseries and health authorities. Sure Start Children’s Centres and the National Health Service (NHS) also offer positions which may be related.

Online jobs boards

Some key job boards that advertise psychology opportunities include:

MyCareer

LG Jobs

Charity Job

Third Sector Jobs

Area-specific resources

Find specific resources for each area of work with children and young people

Day Nurseries – provides information about different nurseries across the UK and has a job search function available.
EduStaff – outlines job vacancies across different levels of education, but has a specific search option for EYFS positions.

YMCA – YMCAs across England and Wales employ staff who contribute to improving prospects for vulnerable young people and wider communities. The site outlines current job opportunities.
National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders – NACRO works with young people and young adults across housing, education, health, justice, support and advice. The site outlines current opportunities with NACRO and promotes roles with other organisations in the sector.
Youth Custody Service – A fast-track programme to become a Youth Justice Worker Specialist, delivered by the HM Prison & Probation Service.
jobsgopublic – allows you to find public sector jobs in local government, charity, education and housing, including specific youth work vacancies.

Jobs with the NHS are generally advertised through NHS Jobs and NHS Trust websites, whereas jobs in independent healthcare are normally advertised on company websites or via specialist recruitment vacancies.

If you are interested in management positions within the NHS, then the NHS offers a Graduate Management Training Scheme.

Other opportunities can be found through the websites below:

Community Care Jobs –an online source of social care jobs, including roles with children and young people, within youth justice, linked to mental health or to health more broadly.
Step Up to Social Work – the information provided through the GOV.UK website explains what qualifications and experience you need to apply for this intensive full-time training programme, which covers everything trainee social workers need to know in 14 months.
Frontline – is a charity offering a programme to high potential graduates and career changers to become front line children's social workers as part of their two-year leadership programme. Visit the site for further information.
MSc Social Work - there is a 2 year full time postgraduate course at the University of Portsmouth that will equip graduates with the skills and experience needed to become a professional social worker.
Graduate Entry Training Scheme (GETS) with Hampshire County Council – offers newly qualified social workers the opportunity to accelerate their learning and experience in a local authority. Their GETS scheme is unique to Hampshire County Council and provides an insight into the structure and practice of the service provider. Support is through the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment, ensuring employees develop a foundation in the necessary skills and confidence for their role.

Vacancies within schools are likely to be advertised through the institutions themselves or through the local education authority (LEA). Alternatively, you may find jobs advertised through:

If you are looking to get into higher education – working for universities – or further education – working for colleges – they commonly use their websites to advertise vacancies, however, there are specific recruitment websites, including:

There is further information about how to develop your career in teaching through our specific career guide on teaching.

Are you looking for a role in Hampshire? Our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy can help!

If you're in the final year of your degree, you can register for support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy. They work with over 3,000 employers in the local area to place our students into fantastic graduate careers.

Learn more about the Graduate Recruitment Consultancy

Top tips for finding a job

Keep your online job search flexible - some employers might use different titles to describe the same role.
Keep up to date with industry news and trends by following professional organisations on social media and checking out their website.
Attend career events to brush up on employability skills and network with employers.
Diversify your job search by using different key terms - some jobs may have different names, but are essentially the same. You could also include terms in your search such as ‘graduate’, ‘entry-level’, or ‘junior’.
You have lots of transferable skills from your degree, such as analytical and problem-solving skills, computing and statistics, time management, high attention to detail and team working. These will be useful in a range of different job roles!
Use LinkedIn to connect with companies you’re interested in working for and build a network of professional contacts. Companies will often post about relevant news going on in the sector and share their job listings. You can find out more about using LinkedIn in our guide.