Listen to thisUntil recently, there were no education programs for
Child and Youth Care in Newfoundland and Labrador. Those who became
employed as Child and Youth Care workers, therefore, came from other
disciplines, with psychology, sociology, and education being the most
prevalent. Some agencies required a degree in the social sciences,
others required two years of post-secondary education in a “related
field.” Individuals who currently work in the field became Child and Youth Care workers only after gaining employment as such.
This all started to change with the implementation of a two-year diploma
program in Child and Youth Care almost two years ago. In addition to
training potential Child and Youth Care workers, the presence of a Child and Youth Care program in the community has helped to raise the profile
of the “profession” in the community. Agencies that never before had a
connection to Child and Youth Care are taking students and recognizing
the value of Child and Youth Care workers and what they have to offer.
Schools are clamoring for student placements, and are actively
submitting proposals for funding to create Child and Youth Care
positions in the school system. The students themselves are bringing
energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to the field like never seen before.
They are active in the Child and Youth Care Association, and have
developed a strong identity as Child and Youth Care workers even before
they obtain employment. These are all positive steps forward.
Unfortunately, there is still much work to be done. One thing I have
noticed as we've travelled on this journey is that there are
organizations that are doing Child and Youth Care, and employing Child and Youth Care workers (by a different name), and they don’t know it (or
refuse to acknowledge it). There are also organizations that knowingly
employ Child and Youth Care workers, but they do not identify with the
field – they do their own thing, in their own way. Then, there are the
individual staff who may work in “enlightened” agencies, but choose to
remain uninvolved with and unaware of the bigger Child and Youth Care
world out there.
Let me give you an example. A few months ago, the students in one of my
classes were required to visit a community-based agency and gather
information on the program. This was a small group assignment, and one
of the groups chose to visit a group home for young offenders. They met
with the Program Director to obtain the required information. During the
course of the interview, the Director mentioned more than once they only
hired individuals with degrees in psychology or social work. He then
went on to tell them that he hoped they were all planning to pursue a
degree after they finished the program, because they would not get a job
in the field with a Child and Youth Care Work diploma.
The students were very disheartened by his statements, and found the
whole experience frustrating and belittling. While this was an isolated
incident – all other students reported very positive experiences on
their agency visits – I was struck by the complete lack of recognition
of the importance and value of specific training and education in Child and Youth Care. A bachelor’s degree in psychology just doesn’t cut it. I know, I have one. And because of that, I’ve had to spend years
educating myself in Child and Youth Care in order to become even
minimally effective in this very complex and challenging field.
There are other examples, and they are not limited to Newfoundland and
Labrador. I have occasionally hired people who have worked in
residential programs in other provinces. Because they come with
experience, I always assume they know about Child and Youth Care.
Excitedly, I refer to the writing of Mark Krueger, Lorraine Fox, Thom
Garfat, Henry Maier, and other “big names,” assuming they will be
familiar with their work. They are not. I talk about Life Space
Intervention – they look at me with blank stares. I mention the Child
and Youth Care Conferences, and they have never heard of them. Where is
the common language? The shared knowledge and understanding?
Last month, a job ad appeared in our local newspaper for a Child and
Youth Care Worker. The ad was placed by a high profile organization in
another province (which has several well established Child and Youth Care education programs). The qualifications required for the position
were high school graduation, with two years post-secondary education (in anything) preferred.
All of this speaks to the need for enforceable standards in Child and Youth Care. While we diligently work on reviewing models of competencies
and creating frameworks for professional regulation, we must remember
that our biggest challenge in moving forward still lies within the field
itself. If we think that everyone involved in Child and Youth Care is
eager to embrace these initiatives, we’re kidding ourselves. Most
practitioners are, at best, ambivalent. If we are to be successful, this
fact must be acknowledged and addressed as part of any strategy designed
to promote the enforcement of minimal standards in the field of Child and Youth Care.
