Listen to thisEditorial Comments are provided by the writer in their personal capacity and without prior sight of journal content.
In Child and Youth Care, where practice is grounded in the relational, it is easy to focus our energy almost exclusively on the young people and families we serve. Yet, the quality of our professional relationships with one another plays an equally critical (if not more important) role in sustaining our practice.
In early November I travelled from Cape Town to Ireland for a few days of professional engagement with colleagues prior to attending the annual Unity Conference in Dublin. As fate would have it, I had to cut my trip short to get back home to have my gall bladder removed. What occupied my mind most during my trip back home was not what lay ahead for my stay in hospital, but rather that I was missing out on reconnecting with old friends and colleagues and on the new connections I would be missing out on.
Collegial connection is not a luxury in CYC; it is a professional necessity. CYC work is intense, often unpredictable, and deeply personal. The daily tasks of holding the pain, hopes, traumas, and triumphs of others demand a level of presence that cannot be maintained in isolation. When practitioners have strong, supportive ties with colleagues, they not only share their emotional load but also expand their capacity to respond creatively and compassionately in moments of challenge.
One of the core strengths of collegial relationships is the opportunity they create for reflective practice. Conversations with peers, allow practitioners to pause, process, and make meaning of their experiences. These interactions help us grow. In many ways, colleagues often act as mirrors, offering perspectives that keep us grounded and accountable.
Collegial connection also nurtures professional growth. Through collaboration and shared learning, CYCs benefit from the collective wisdom of their teams. When practitioners exchange ideas about interventions, celebrate successes, or discuss dilemmas, a culture of continuous learning is developed. This strengthens not only individual competence but also the overall quality of care provided to young people.
Collegial connection also serves as a buffer against burnout. CYC is a profession where trauma and emotional fatigue are common. Being part of a supportive professional community can make the difference between resilience and exhaustion. A simple check-in, a shared story, or a moment of humour with a colleague can restore the sense of humanity that is so essential to sustaining meaningful practice.
It is with this in mind that I encourage you to attend the 5th CYC World Conference in St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in June 2026 (see link on the next page). The ethos of Child and Youth Care ie. relationship, presence, and connection, must extend beyond our interactions with young people. When we commit to growing our collegial bonds, we reaffirm the relational foundation of our field and remind ourselves that caring for and learning with colleagues is very much part of caring for children and youth. When we connect and reconnect with colleagues, we strengthen not only one another but the entire fabric of CYC practice. The 5th World Conference will undoubtedly add to a strengthened CYC practice fabric.
