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Listen to thisAs a forever learner in the field of Child and Youth Care, relational practice to me has revealed itself to be all about connection. On paper connection does not seem that complicated, however in reality how we connect with people is individualized and unique. Depending on a person’s life journey, experiences, culture, religious beliefs, values, geography, family dynamics, identity, and a variety of other factors, this can cause connecting to not be ‘so simple.’ For those reasons, everyone’s story is different. Being relational is about starting a relationship. When we take time to slow down and be curious of one another we begin the process of connecting which forms a relationship where one can then be relational. Remember if being relational was easy all relationships would be relational – how’s that for cryptic.
In my experience as a child and youth care practitioner, I have worked alongside children, youth and young adults who are identified to be ‘at risk’ often by the systems that have strategically placed them there. Often, time is of the essence as you never know how long you will share space with a client. Typically, I have found that working with a client’s needs has helped to inform safety and build trust quickly which then opens the door for connection.
For example, when I have a client who has run away from home or a placement and is dysregulated, once they are found I know to offer food, drink, a comfy space, and a listening ear. As we work together (client and practitioner) to become regulated it is my job to guide a realistic step by step plan that can be achieved together. The goal is to get this young person to place of safety with their input ensuring their unique and valid needs are met. This supportive approach in a person’s moment of need establishes trust, care, safety and feeling that they matter to someone. Connecting a client to community supports to avoid further hopelessness, helplessness and isolation can show care at a deeper level. Investing in our clients is a vital step in beginning a reciprocal relationship. As a child and youth care practitioner helping someone stabilize, get grounded, a place to belong, find a circle of care and support to thrive can be the difference between hope and ruin.
Advice
I remember when I was in Ireland in 2015 for the ‘Unity Through Relationship’ Conference, I was introduced to James Anglin after dinner. He was very curious about who I was and how I was doing in the field of child and youth care. One of the beautiful benefits to be able to attend conferences is meeting people you normal wouldn’t run into who you can talk shop with. We started sharing stories of practice and James gave some advice which I share to this day with CYC’s who are studying, graduating or new in the field. He said, “Ensure you have a method or model that informs your practice. You want to make sure the model you follow is based on your values and something you can easily translate to clients you are working with; you need to believe in it for it to work. If you cannot find one, create one.” I’m not sure if James remembers me or that conversation but it was pivotal and lives on. An important part of this conversation was to have relational models that highlight the benefits of how strength-based interactions create healing, restoration and support an individual to flourish.
Models in Child and Youth Care
This is where two very important models of Child and Youth Care come into play in my personal practice. The first being The Circle of Courage Model by Larry Brendtro, Martin Brokenleg, and Steve Van Bockern. The text, Reclaiming Youth at Risk: Futures of Promise is one I review regularly. The Circle of Courage Model is based on key concepts from First Nation’s Pedagogy that are identified into four areas: belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. As a child and youth care worker who is also First Nation’s this model resonates and is effective in my daily practice with the individuals I walk alongside. When people who are accessing a care service are represented in the models used the service user is supported tenfold because the translation of the model is understood because it correlates to their life experience. Again, this model shows how significant it is for cultures who have typically been silenced and segregated to have space, a voice, and a platform. It is important to note that not all First Nation’s cultures are the same and it is imperative to be flexible, open to learning and adaptable to find the best fit for the individual.
The second is the 25 Characteristics of Child and Youth Care. As stated in Characteristics of a Relational Child and Youth Care Approach Revisited by Thom Garfat, James Freeman, Kiaras Gharabaghi and Leon Fulcher, “Relational Child and Youth Care is articulated through twenty-five characteristics which are organized in a three-part framework of ways of being, interpreting, and doing. These characteristics seek to express Child and Youth Care practice in the life-space and in the moment of interaction between the practitioner and the young person, family, or community. It includes a focus on inclusive practice related to culture, race, trauma, and other historic contexts important to the Child and Youth Care field.”
Being taught both approaches early on in my career influenced the importance of connection in the most genius and simple ways. Together these approaches emphasise the impact of human-to-human connection, recognizing as a child and youth care worker that our purpose is to care and to assist in meeting the needs of those who are vulnerable and would benefit from our guided support. It’s in each moment whether big or small we have the ability to influence and that should not be taken lightly.
Building capacity to understanding relational practice
Being in this field for a little while now working with young people, I would love to say that everyone is strength based, client centred, and relational. However, in my practice I am actively disrupting a deficit-based world of care, to me this is ironic. I have sat in spaces where young people are called things such as bossy, defiant, attention seeking, oppositional, dramatic, impulsive, rebellious, or challenging, and even worse labels. I remember being in a meeting where the community support workers were caught up in what’s wrong with a client. I paused the meeting and reframed the conversation. I then asked them to give me some strengths or things they admired about the client. There were quite a long silence and people were perplexed. I summarized strengths and qualities I heard during the meeting. I could see this was quite challenging to hear for the service providers as they were used to only thinking one way which was deficit based. I use this example because we must be careful of the limitations we as professionals set on the clients we are working with. I decided to offer a moment in time to speak for all parts of this person not just “what is the inconvenience to the professionals.” We must let go of our own wants and needs to best serve the individual and where they are at. If I believed what the adults in the education system said about me, personally I would not be where I am today. I work everyday to unlearn what I was taught to believe about myself. We must acknowledge the good, special and uniqueness found in each person.
In the spirit of celebrating relational practice, I would like to highlight you, the reader. Thank you for taking time to educate yourself, participate in professional development, advocate, disrupt current systems and people who make relational practice seem unimportant. It takes constant energy to stand up for and show by example what relational practice truly encompasses. It is in your daily questioning, use of voice, education to peers and respectful disruption that relational practice becomes the norm of what is acceptable when working with young people.
I know you are out there. Continue to shine and do heart work.
Love, Ziigwanbinesii Charles.
