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Relational child and youth care practice
Child and Youth Care (CYC) Practitioners1 work with children, young people, and families with complex needs with the goal of supporting them, so children and young people can "become their strongest selves". CYC practitioners play an essential role in achieving such positive outcomes for children and young people without parental care or at risk of losing it. They skillfully navigate complex and demanding situations and utilise everyday life moments as learning opportunities that help children and young people experience themselves and others in different and positive ways.
This relational child and youth care practice is based on the CYC practitioners’ awareness, competence, and skills – a pillar of the Learning and Development Approach (L&D), which has recently been rolled out in several SOS member associations in Africa. In close cooperation with the regional offices, Train-the-Facilitators and Train-the-L&D support staff programmes were delivered to strengthen colleagues in member associations to train and support their CYC practitioners.
Relational practice is not simply a set of skills or techniques, but a unique way of being in the world, and therefore of being with children and young people, their families, and communities. Working from a relational perspective, the CYC practitioner continually attends to the space between themselves and others as something that is co-created (Garfat et al., 2018). Actively paying attention to the space between them and others can also be called reflective practice. In this way of being with others, both parties must experience relational safety and connectedness - the relationship is the intervention (Stuart, 2014).
To effectively convey to CYC practitioners the essence of the relational child and youth care approach, theoretical knowledge alone is insufficient. It is important that L&D facilitators embody this approach in the interactions with others. A relational approach is not taught; it is experienced.
Frederic, Alternative Care Coordinator Nairobi and Train-the-Facilitator programme participant, describes some of his learnings in these words, “I realized that other than being the supervisor, there is a lot I need to do to ensure what I call “the momentum” for doing what the caregivers are supposed to do - to partner with them, work with them side by side, and to play a supportive role.
Four key roles in implementing the L&D approach
So far, staff members of 37 member associations in Africa, The Middle East, and Europe were trained. Out of those, 24 countries have already started the rollout.
Four main roles support the implementation of the L&D approach for CYC practitioners, bringing it to life together with the practitioners:
The L&D facilitator
Each country identifies two people as future L&D facilitators, based on an L&D facilitator job description and profile.
Their role is to deliver the Initial Training Workshop (ITW) for CYC practitioners as well as similar workshops in their country. They require the competence to facilitate groups of CYC practitioners according to the learning paradigm of a learner-centric and competency-based approach. This implies a very interactive and participatory approach and an understanding of being a "guide by the side” instead of a “sage at the stage”.
The Train-the-Facilitator (TTF) Programme prepares them to run these workshops based on the L&D approach and methodology. The programme consists of a series of online personal activities that can be worked on at any time before the scheduled live calls that support and reinforce the content in the online activities. After this preparatory online part, a face-to-face workshop allows TTF participants to experience and practice ITW facilitation skills in a safe environment.
In the Initial Training Workshop, L&D facilitators encourage workshop participants to create relational experiences with children and young people, in which they feel safe and connected. Similarly, L&D facilitators create such experiences in their interaction with the CYC practitioners and workshop participants. This way, CYC practitioners and other participants do not only gain theoretical understanding of the L&D approach, but it becomes an experiential reality for them.
One caregivers' comment after having participated in week 1: "Despite our local customs and tradition, no child should be discriminated against. Knowing your values helps you to do your work.”
The L&D facilitators are on their own “learning journey” of improving their facilitation skills and RCYC knowledgebase over time. Their learning is supported by an active Community of Practice which consists of online space as well as monthly calls, in which experience can be shared, challenges discussed, and new inputs enjoyed.
The L&D support person
Each programme location identifies two to three people as L&D support persons, based on a job description and profile. The L&D support person training programme prepares them to provide one-on-one support to CYC practitioners.
Their role is to accompany the individual CYC practitioner on their learning and development journey, in the light of the competencies described in the Competency Portfolio. They will need to have regular one-on-one meetings with the CYC practitioner, usually in person, and develop a trusting relationship over time.
In the one-on-one meetings with CYC practitioners, the L&D support person will:
The CYC Mentor
Each programme also selects two to three practitioners to take on a mentoring role and offers them preparation and support in the CYC Mentor Training Programme.
Mentors can play an important role in supporting and encouraging CYC practitioners on their professional journey - by providing them with guidance regarding their day-to-day child and youth care tasks and by continuously encouraging them on their learning and development journey.
A CYC mentor is a trusted and competent "peer advisor" who:
Our model of mentoring closely follows the relational CYC model of change articulated by Thom Garfat (2024), so that the mentoring is a mirror of the change principles employed by CYC practitioners in their work with children.
The Line Manager
The line manager’s role is to ensure a nurturing learning environment for all staff members, to provide support, and do annual performance appraisal talks. Their prioritization of L&D for CYC practitioners is key, so the required resources are made available.
Therefore, senior managers, training managers, line managers, and practice supervisors will all need to understand this L&D approach and promote it as a way of learning throughout the organization.
Fifth “Role” - Digital Support Tools
According to one of the five key principles of the L&D approach learning is “multi-modal”, meaning that we learn as we do our daily jobs, interact with people, and discover new things ourselves. One digital tool developed by SOS Children’s Villages to serve this purpose is “Rafiki”.
Rafiki is an AI-powered Digital Care Assistant (DCA), available via mobile phones, that provides CYC practitioners with instant access to information on child and youth care topics, based on the L&D competency portfolios.
The interactive application allows both caregivers from alternative care services and parents from family strengthening programmes to ask questions regarding many topics that parents need to know about. It helps users understand complex issues and is simple to use. So far, it is being used in 12 SOS member associations, in English, French and Somali, with approximately 1000 caregivers accessing it.
Besides Rafiki, CYC practitioners are obviously encouraged to use any other online training and/or information they find useful to support their development.
Our next article will focus on the CYC Practitioner’s Learning Journey.
References
Garfat, T. (2024) DLE Training. Retrieved from
https://www.transformaction.com/
Garfat, T., Freeman, J., Gharabaghi, K. & Fulcher, L. (2018).
Characteristics of a relational child and youth care approach revisited.
CYC-Online, 236, 7-45. Retrieved from
https://cyc-net.org/cyc-online/oct2018.pdf#page=7
Stuart, C. (2014). The art and science of professionalizing
multi-disciplinary education: Start early and never stop.
CYC-Online, 188, 30-35. Retrieved from
https://cyc-net.org/cyc-online/oct2014.pdf#page=30
[1] In the context of SOS Children’s Villages, CYC practitioners are staff who directly work with children, young people, and their families. They include family-like caregivers, youth care workers, professional foster parents, small group home workers, and family strengthening field workers.
