Module manager: Nathan Loynes
Email: N.Loynes@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Meeting the needs of children and communities is challenging business. It becomes more challenging as resources are cut in terms of funding and staffing and modern living creates the possibility of more complex and more prevalent problems for families needing our help. In these challenging contexts, this module recognises that leading and managing teams; making resources stretch further, to address complex problems, while valuing and motivating your team takes considerable skill! This module is designed for those already managing teams, or might be on a path to a management role through either choice or necessity. In doing so, the module will introduce students to key leadership and management theory, and also it's particular application in child and family services.
This module will introduce students to theoretical approaches to leadership and management and will apply this knowledge to work in the children, young people and families' workforce.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Apply key elements of leadership and management theory.
2. Interpret professional case-studies and policy using leadership and management theory.
3. Analyse decision making with reference to leadership and management theory.
4. Evaluate the role of distributed leadership in multi-agency and complex needs planning contexts.
5. Evaluate the role of ethics in shaping decision making in children and family professional contexts.
Skills Learning Outcomes
Decision-making (Work Ready Skills): Students will evaluate competing professional priorities, assess policy and ethical implications, and construct evidence-based decisions in complex, time-constrained children's services management scenarios.
Leadership (Work Ready Skills): Students will demonstrate strategic communication, directional leadership and stakeholder management in simulated high-pressure organisational crisis contexts relevant to children and family services.
Critical thinking (Work Ready Skills): Students will synthesise evidence from multiple theoretical perspectives on leadership and management, applying analytical judgement to anticipate problems and construct reasoned, evidence-based responses to complex workplace scenarios.
- Making links between theory and practice
- Ability to analyse critically a range of theories.
This module explores the challenges of leadership in children's settings. The content will cover such areas as: Key managerial theories of the 20th and 21st century Leadership and motivation Trait based theories of leadership Situational theories of leadership Strategic management: Planning and resources. Transformational and transactional leadership Distributed leadership Balancing and prioritising needs in management contexts Ethical dilemmas surrounding planning and decision making in child and family contexts Authentic leadership The management of change.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminar | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Tutorial | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Independent online learning hours | 83 | ||
| Private study hours | 100 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 17 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students receive instantaneous formative feedback on theoretical content via interactive online materials within the module's flipped-learning structure. The concepts and frameworks encountered asynchronously each week are revisited and applied in face-to-face workshops using leadership case studies, policy scenarios and simulated decision-making exercises. For Assessment 1 (Executive In-Tray Simulation), formative preparation includes weekly triage exercises in which students practise prioritising competing professional demands using fictional management scenarios of increasing complexity, building towards the summative simulation. For Assessment 2 (Crisis Command Press Conference), students will have the opportunity to rehearse their oral delivery in a low-stakes workshop setting, receiving peer and tutor feedback on leadership communication, theoretical application, and professional register before submitting their recorded summative statement. The 500-word crisis response strategy may be shared in draft with the module tutor for formative comment prior to final submission.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | NA | 60 |
| Role-play | NA | 40 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team