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 thisDear All
I have a question: What are the different skills that are required for a
social worker working in a residential care facility as compared with a
social worker doing field work? In answering this question I would ask
you to please be specific if there are differences.
Regards
Alfred Harris
...
Dear Alfred,
Your question is an important one, because in asking it you are already
indicating that there SHOULD be a difference in skills sets.
However, in my humble experience, the skill set is not so important.
More important than anything else I have realised is the attitude of the
social worker. It is more important for me that the person is able
to learn, and is willing to learn, than that the person comes with a
specific skill set. I have encountered people in the field who are
highly educated and experience, but are just poorly matched when working
with children. Skills are something anyone can learn, but attitude
is not so easy to change.
But, if I can name something that I specifically think is important, is
that a social worker should have a very good understanding of the
principles of Child and Youth Care (even if she is not a Child and Youth Care worker), especially developmental work, and life space
intervention. Too often social workers see their jobs as "office"
bound, and in child residential care, the social worker – just like the
child care worker – should intervene in the life space of the child.
The office is a place where you write your notes, nothing more.
But again this comes down to attitude I guess, more than skill set.
How useful this is to you I don't know. But, I would much rather
appoint a social worker with minimum qualfications and no experience and
the right attitude, than the other way around.
Best of luck.
Werner van der Westhuizen
...
Alfred,
I think that the skills are the same but because the context is
different, the nature of the relationship will change and some skills
may need to be refined a little more. The most obvious example from my
experience is the skill of managing challenging behaviour. In community
settings in the past I have applied a no tolerance approach where kids
were given warnings and offered help with situations but ultimately the
policy was 'toe the line or go home'. In res care the child is home, so
I need to have another layer of responses that are more likely to be
able to hold the child in his difficulty, and help him to find a
solution. In short, I need to work harder!!!
Generally I think that the skills required in both contexts include;
1) The ability to be aware of self and others
2) The ability to be intuitive
3) The ability to be aware of environment and its impact on people and
situations
4) The ability to use self and relationship in a non manipulative way to
promote positive outcomes
5) The ability to draw from a range of theoretical frameworks
(especially non verbal communication) to enhance professional practice
and increase the likelihood of positive outcomes And most importantly of
all
6) The ability to have and retain compassion in the face of challenging
situations and
7) The ability to know when you get it wrong, and have the courage to
admit it to your client!!!!!
I have recently put all these together and called it 'The Craft of
Social Care Practice'.
With very best wishes,
John Byrne
(Ireland)
...
Dear Alfred.
I am sure the admin is equally 'critical', tearing into quality time and
service with children placed in alternative care. Social workers
NEED the support of Social Auxiliary Workers w.r.t. reporting, admin
etc. This social worker would focus on group work, casework,
focussing on "the family", life skills orientation, a great deal
of patience, since not all family members are equally ready, and always
able to be re unified. SW should enter the residential care setting with
a self care plan in place! That, should be a pre requisite. as
part of his/her toolbox of preventative work.
Looking forward to read the replies.
...
Dear Alfred
I'll send you material about the free online caregiver education
www.fairstartglobal.com
. Meanwhile, have a look at the site.
Best,
Niels Peter Rygaard
...
Werner sure nailed it. In my opinon, attitude
is what makes a worker special. You can teach and help people to
develop skills. Developing attitude is an almost impossible
challenge, in my opinion.
John Stein
New Orleans
...
If I can add to the helpful responses already posted, this question
about the relevant 'skill-sets' for different contexts was the
starting-point and main focus for my own book on Working in Group
Care. It is not so much that there are different skills
required in different settings, but that the balance and required level
of these skills varies.
In particular I suggest that in the residential context we need to
attend especially to the influence of the group (of both staff and young
people) and to the whole network of relationships involved; we also need
to always be ready to 'seize the time', making skilful and sensitive
judgments about when and how to intervene 'in the moment' – this is what
I called 'opportunity-led work'.
I would add that I think it is also about temperament – some people are
much better suited to one-to-one work in an office or clinic, whereas
others feel cooped-up in that setting and tend to do their best work
when they are free-range. For what it's worth, I'd count myself among
the latter.
Best wishes to the Child and Youth Care 'group'/network
Adrian Ward
