Since it's founding in 1997, the CYC-Net discussion group has been asked thousands of questions. These questions often generate many replies from people in all spheres of the Child and Youth Care profession and contain personal experiences, viewpoints, as well as recommended resources.
Below are some of the threads of discussions on varying Child and Youth Care related topics.
Questions and Responses have been reproduced verbatim.
Listen to thisWorking in Child and Youth Care, and specifically with a relational
approach, have you ever felt surrounded by other professionals working
with a "behavioral" approach?
How did you cope, I mean, collaborate? Can one be both behavioral and
relational?
Roger
...
Hi Roger,
This is a question that seems to have plagued Child and Youth Care for a long time. My
own view is that 'behavioral' and 'relational' approaches should not be
considered to be mutually exclusive. In Child and Youth Care we are always
working with behavior and the principles of learning theory will always
apply. I believe that the problems arise when these principles are used
to bring about behavior changes through external control or
manipulation. Through this process, kids will develop a sense of self
based upon their ability to obtain external rewards and avoid potential
punishments. In other words, they will come to attribute their successes
and failures to external circumstances rather than their own choices.
This condition of 'external locus of control' is the antithesis of
self-development and self-responsibility.
This doesn't only come about through the conditional application and
withholding of tangible rewards, it can also be incorporated into
'relational' approaches in which kids are manipulated to seek the
approval of significant adults. This form of 'social reinforcement' is
particularly insidious and can stifle the development of
self-actualization for a lifetime.
The 'relational' challenge is to support the young person's emerging
sense of self by encouraging him or her to examine options and make
behavioral choices – even if they may not be considered by the
professionals to be the most appropriate or desirable outcomes. This
requires honest and authentic feedback rather than remedial intervention
and only take place within the context of an open and trusted
relationship – the basic condition for effective relational Child and Youth Care practice. The task is to take whatever directions are being
dished out by other professionals and transform them into practices that
respond to the subjective experience of the young person to promote
self-awareness, self-volition and self-responsibility – 'internal locus
of control'.
Good luck Roger.
Gerry Fewster
