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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 thisGood morning, my name is Isabelle and I am a
second year student at Red River College for Child and Youth Care.
I am doing a presentation on Family involvement in children in
residential care. My questions are:
"Why is family involvement important in a child/youth lives?"
"What can we do as Child and Youth Care Workers do to ensure that family
are involved?"
Thank you
Isabelle Moreau
...
Isabelle – Family involvement is not only important,
but essential in a child's life. It is on us to reach out and make our
settings welcoming to family, respect them, and view them as experts.
Here is one of my favorite ideas about family for those we works
alongside:
"Families – including extended family members, clan or tribe – are ever
present. The student in the classroom carries the expectations of family
and extended family members with her. The young man on the street
carries 'family' – even if only the ideal family – in his head...there
is no such thing, really, as helping in the absence of family and
extended family members. This is because family – in whatever form or
traditions – is always with us and also with each person the Child and Youth Care Practitioner encounters".
-- Garfat, T. & Fulcher, L. C. (2012). Characteristics of a Relational
Child and Youth Care Approach. In T. Garfat & L. C. Fulcher (Eds),
Child and Youth Care in Practice (5-24). Cape Town: Pretext
Publishing.
James Freeman
California USA
...
Hi Isabelle,
I'd love to chat with you about this. Please check out our website
www.amcal.ca and drop me a line so we
can talk. delia@amcal.ca
Delia Noel
Pointe-Claire, Québec
...
Hi Isabelle,
Family involvement in a child and youths life is important for a number
of reasons. A child exists within the system of their family. They
form attachments to their family and use that support as a way of coping
and feeling safe. Family involvement within the child and youth lives
help maintain those attachment bonds, as well as create a relationship
that will help the individual child build the confidence and trust to
develop future relationships.
As Child and Youth Care workers we can create an environment in which
the family feels welcome and comfortable. Creating an events or
activities that the family and youth or child can do together is another
way to encourage family involvement. This simple things can make all the
difference. If a family does not feel welcome or comfortable than they
will not want to come, and when they do come the visit will not be as
enjoyable. By having a variety of activities accessible for the
family to partake in there is an opportunity for bonds to be formed and
boredom is avoided.
Best,
Kirsten Farquharson
...
Hi Isabelle,
Thanks for the thoughtful and important question you are raising. Family involvement is extremely crucial for children in residential care in many ways and we, as a field, seem to have grown significantly in this area, but there is still a long way to go. When I first began as a direct Child and Youth Care worker it, sadly, was often generally accepted opinion that somehow the parents were the primary "cause" of children being placed residentially. It not only led to less collaborative support for the child in care but many times it led to split loyalties for the child that can be so destructive. Now, I believe the parent should be seen as an active part of the "treatment team" and, where appropriate, regularly and actively be involved in the treatment. It is crucial for Child and Youth Care workers to work hard to be non-judgmental of parents even if it seems that are not involved enough, or caring for their child in the way we think best. There are often loads of cultural issue s about child rearing that we may not understand. Also, no matter how hard we try there may be tensions that develop as a parent may be jealous of the affection a child shows a Child and Youth Care worker they have a positive relationship with.
Many times I have heard a child call a more mature
in years worker "Mommy" or "Daddy". Of course, this puts the worker in
awkward spot...despite being flattered it is important that we gently,
but quickly, clarify that we are NOT their Mommy or Daddy, but that we
still care for them very much in a different way. Overall, I think the
best route for a Child and Youth Care workers is to be non-judgmental about parents, keep
open and honest communication with them, and try to be extremely
sensitive to cultural issues that may be at play in beliefs about child
rearing. It involves a constant awareness of that will we are in a
parenting-like role we are not the parents and want to be careful not to
be "competing" with them in any way. Supervision would be a great place
for a Child and Youth Care worker to bring their feelings about this .
Frank Delano,
New York
...
Hi Isabelle,
Family involvement is extremely important in children/youths lives.
Parents know their children best and they are a key component to helping
their child/youth succeed. Child and Youth Care practitioners focus on relationships,
working with families and children, understanding development and the
individual needs and supporting the client’s needs by helping them
develop skills to grow.Child and youth care workers can have parents and
family involved by getting them to help set up goals for their
child/youth and we as Child and Youth Care workers help provide the families with further
support for the child to meet their goals.
Katelyn
