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 thisI am a student wondering about a question that came up in my mind while
writingan ethics paper.
My question is : Do CYCP workers accept the sexual identity of youth
that identify as LGBTQ while dealing with their own ethical values and
not the CYCP ethical code?
Steven McDonald
...
Good question Steve.
I don't think it is the role of the Child and Youth Care worker to pass judgment on any
youth, no matter how they identify. Even if you think homosexuality is
wrong, it is not your place as the Child and Youth Care worker to convey this to the
youth.
Like many minorities, there will be a lot of issues
to deal with including homophobia, potential rejection from parents,
family and friends, possible suicidal issues, etc. The Child and Youth Care worker should
support the youthbut if the worker does not feel comfortable then a
referral to an LGBTTIQ-friendly organization/worker would be
mostappropriate. This would be beneficial to the youth as they will be
fully supported and there will be no hesitation or ethical issues from a
worker who does not feel comfortable.
That's my take.
Lyndsay Kay
...
Hi Steven,
I believe that as CYCP worker it is important to be supportive and
non-judgemental when it comes to youth who may identify as LGBTQ,
regardless of our own personal values and or opinions. Youth who
identify as LGBTQ are 3-4 times more likely to commit suicide than their
counterparts, so the question should be... Aside from my own views, How
do I help this youth to accept and love him/herself so they are strong
enough to stand up to discrimination, rather than be brought down by it.
If a CYCP worker is not able to do this due to their own values and
beliefs, it might be a good idea to find someone who can support and
accept the youth.
If a youth comes out to someone they trust and they act negatively, it
is worse then than not coming out at all!!
I hope this has helped!
Alana Leard
...
Steven,
CYC workers have an serious obligation to accept and serve their young
client regardless of sexual orientation. "Professional practitioners
actively promote respect for cultural and human diversity" (quoted from
the Competencies for Professional Child and Youth Work Practitioners).
While your personal values may conflict with the values/competencies put
forth by the ACYCP it is important to remember that you are acting in a
professional capacity; your personal values cannot be allowed to
negatively affect your relationships with the children, youth, or their
families entrusted to your care.
The fact that you realize this conflict between personal ethics and
professional ethics is awesome! Many people go about their jobs
unaware of the ways in which their personal beliefs greatly affect their
interactions with their clients. I suggest seeing this ethical
discrepancy as an opportunity to educate yourself. Take this
opportunity to do some research on the LGBTQ community; learn about
their unique experiences, not only their struggles but also the unique
joy they find in their identity. Thank you so much for writing in – so many others would have ignored such an issue. Recognizing our
personal biases is the first step for all CYCP's in moving toward
effectively implemented multicultural education.
I hope this helps. For more information try browsing the Gay, Lesbian,
Straight Education Network (GLSEN) website. They are a non-profit
youth-oriented organization that works to end bias and discrimination in
schools and other youth settings.
Peace.
Matt
...
Steven
Unsure what you mean by ethical code. As a CYCW it is essential that we
accept the youth for who they are regardless of their sexual
orientation.
Why should it matter anyway?
Charlene
...
Hi Steven,
I would like to answer your question but would like you to expand on it
before sending my reply. Are you asking if personal biases
interfere with CYCP work when it comes to the sexual identity of teens?
Thanks for the clarification,
Delia Noel
Quebec
...
Hi Steven,
I am a student at Mount Royal University in
Calgary, Alberta, Canada and was hoping you would elaborate more on this
query; as it is kind of confusing. By ethical values, what do you mean?
I would hope that most Child and Youth Care counselors (CYCC's) would
accept all clients regardless of gender and sexual identity; seems
rather silly to be judging people based on your own ethical value,
whatever that means.
Please elaborate, this is something that needs to be explored further as
I feel the lgbt and q community deserve our help more than anything.
Have a nice day :)
Thanks,
Ken Wildman
...
Hi Steve
Although all the replies are true, it is also important for you to
accept yourself and to determine who you are and what you are willing to
do. There is no shame in admitting to a youth that you do not know
enough to help him and ask him whether you can help him find someone who
knows more. It would be the same for a CYCW who lived with an alcoholic
father and who may be resistant to work with substance abuse even though
he worked through his own emotional issues. We all have our unique
make-up – find your strength and focus on that instead of feeling
ashamed for being uncomfortable with certain things. It is also
judgmental of you if people tell you you are not entitled to your own
values and opinions. The difference with professionals is that we often
extend our value systems and decrease our biases because young people
touch our heart. We are exposed to more variety in human experiences and
can handle many more value clashes. So although we should never take
away from another's sense of worth we also need to look after ourselves.
If I know I cannot work with criminals for instance it is better for me
to specialize in another direction and mean a lot to other client groups
instead of continuously struggle with self-doubt and confusion.
I hope it also answered another element of your question, since you are
busy addressing this as an ethics paper – there is hardly ever only one
side to an ethical debate. If you go look at the threads on the CYC-Net
site, you will see a previous discussion about gay clients.
https://www.cyc-net.org/threads/gaywork.html
Best wishes
Rika Swanzen
South Africa
...
Good dialogue from all!
It shows that not all CYW's are cookie cutters in their cognitive
thought processing. Discussions allow us all to give a
perspective that is unique to all. Like all issues professional
judgement is key to rational detachment. Accepting persons as they
are is key for developing therapeutic rapport. Once the rapport is
established, avenues of discussion will develop to from key hooks in
dealing with many deep hurts, rejection, and depression etc
CYWs should know their own ethical boundaries. When they enter into
professional processing with an individual with LGBT identity issues
they can develop a plan that is personal centered.
A CYW does not have to feel their own ethical values are in question
when treating on sensitive issues such as this. It is not a matter
of our own values vs those of the client. Both can be intact and
valued.
First step to success is empathic listening. The next steps
will be directed by the natural path of options a person with these
challenges reveals.
Robert
...
Hi Steve.
I am also wondering about gaining some clarity on the question. What are
the personal beliefs or values that are being weighed against
professional ethics? In what capacity are you working with this youth?
Most of my focus through the last three years of my degree has been on
GLBT youth (depending on who you talk to there could be almost three
times as many letters!). One of the most important things to remember
when working with alternative gender/sexual orientations is to accept
and use whatever labels, terms, or identities your client uses. A client
self-identifying as heterosexual but engaging in homosexual acts should
be identified as heterosexual.
My opinion on the query about conflicting personal beliefs and
professional ethics would be that as Child and Youth Care professionals we will be faced
with many conflicting values. I feel it is not my place to allow my
values to override my clients (barring any ethical obligations – self
harm, harming others, etc).
Therefore regardless of whether the issue is based on sexual
orientation, gender identity, family structure, cultural differences, or
substance abuse, my values and beliefs are not my clients. I feel my
best choice is to help them make healthy choices, while respecting the
fact that they will live their life differently than I live mine.
Devon Schulz
...
Hello,
Just to add my two-penceworth. A colleague of mine has just done his MSc
dissertation on looked after children and young people's experiences of
LGBT(Q?). He also interviewed staff and, I think management as well. He
is also keen to take a number of his recommendations forward. I'm sure
he would be happy to talk to anyone interested in it.
He is Mike Sutherland –
m.sutherland@rgu.ac.uk
Best
Zachari Duncalf
...
"Acceptance" does not mean "approval". We can accept something in
someone without necessarily approving of it.
Lorraine Fox
...
Hi Steve
I apologize as I am not directly responding to your query but am
offering information regarding an article I read last semester in my C &
YC masters program. I was doing a research paper on identify concerns
and supports for homosexuals in care.
Ragg, Mark D., Dennis Patrick, & Ziefert, Marjorie (2006). Slamming the
door: Working with gay and lesbian youth in care. Child Welfare
League of America, Vol. LXXXV, 243 – 265.
I recommend everyone have a look, as the perspective to the plight of
LGBTQ youth is something we all need to be aware of to implement
effective interventions for these youth.
Charlene
Nova Scotia
...
Hello,
I also wanted to add that CYC's need to develop inclusive practices for
all individuals regardless of their sexual identity as we may not know
the sexual identity of someone if they don't identify it to us. It is
important to respect all diversities even if we do not know if we are
working with a youth who identifies as not heterosexual. If we present a
heterosexist bias to our clients then this may communicate to queer or
questioning youth that the best and more normal way to be is straight
and this is actually oppressive practices. We also have to consider that
the youth may/may not be questioning but they have may friends, family
members etc... that do identify as this.
Below is a link to a good resources that was developed for Early
Childhood Education but has good information on creating a positive
space for all individuals.
http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/atkinson/UserFiles/File/BuildingBridges.pdf
Megan Cameron
