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Child and Youth Care Worker

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If you have always had a passion for youth and youth issues, Holland College offers a meaningful and challenging opportunity to convert this passion into a rewarding career. An intensive, professional level program, the Child and Youth Care Worker program offers students skills-oriented training to equip them to help children and adolescents and their families in coping with personal and daily living problems.

Many young people are burdened with neglect, abuse, emotional distress, family dysfunction and failure in many domains of their life. These burdens are displayed in social, emotional or behavioural problems surfacing in the family, the classroom and the community. The trained youth worker strives to work with the youth and their family by means of a supportive relationship to overcome these difficulties and obtain a more satisfying level of functioning and personal competence.

This accelerated program is designed to prepare the motivated and mature individual for a career working with a wide range of troubled youth. The youth worker is educated to recognize and address the social and emotional needs of children and adolescents and is also concerned with the total individual, his/her family, education and rehabilitation. A strength-based philosophy committed to creating competence in youth is the cornerstone of the program curriculum.

On-the-job training is a major component in the education of the Youth Worker student. It provides concentrated practice and supervision in which the learner can develop and learn the essential practical skills of helping children and youth.

Currently, in the Child and Youth Care Worker field, the standard auto insurance policy is $2,000,000 to transport clients. If students wish to use their own vehicles to transport clients throughout the practicum, this level of coverage will be required.

Students may be asked for an updated criminal records check throughout the school year as OJT sites usually require it to be no more than 6 months old.

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Courses

List of Courses

Child and Youth Care Worker Courses

print full list with descriptions

Take the following course(s):

Counseling Methods

This course will introduce students to the core elements of a helping relationship and the corresponding strategies used to develop such a relationship. A variety of communication skills including paraphrasing, reflecting feelings, empathy, questioning, confronting, self-disclosure, describing behaviors, summarizing, problem-solving, and treatment planning will be discussed. The importance of effective communication in dealing with crisis oriented and challenging situations as well as communication roadblocks will be explored. A central theme presented throughout this course will be the necessity for students to develop an ongoing commitment to self-awareness as a vital part of their counseling framework. Opportunities for the practical application of skills will occur through the use of exercises, group discussions, and both live and videotaped role plays. Students will be guided in the development of a repertoire of specific skills to support and aid clients in a constructive and culturally sensitive manner to address problematic issues in their lives.

Hours: 45
Course Code: CYCW-1000

Child and Adolescent Growth and Development

This course will examine the child from the perspective of physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development. The influence of family, school, and community upon identity, personality, cognition, and moral judgment will be explored through ecological systems theory as well as other prominent developmental theories. Strong emphasis will be placed on the issues of attachment and bonding and the long term implications for healthy functioning. Students will be taken along the "normal" developmental path of childhood and adolescence as well as acquainting themselves with some of the conditions and situations that inevitably alter this path for many children. This course will provide a framework for helping families understand and support their children with the necessary developmental tasks and foster resilience and competency in that process.

Hours: 60
Course Code: CYCW-1005

Issues in Child Welfare

This course will introduce students to the world of child welfare from a historical, clinical, and legislative perspective. Students will explore the core themes of attachment, separation, and placement that impact children and their families when they become immersed in the foster care system and beyond. Effective interventions and treatment approaches will be examined as well as the roles and responsibilities of child welfare agencies, courts, legal system, law enforcement, hospitals, schools, mental health systems, and other community agencies involved in the case plan for the youth and family. The continuum of care for out of home placements will be studied and beneficial strategies will be noted that meet the youth's attachment and relationship needs. An overriding question posed throughout the course will be "what is in the best interest of the child?"

Hours: 45
Course Code: CYCW-1010

Group Dynamics

This course is designed to introduce students to the complexities of the group work process both in community based settings and residential settings. The role of group work as an effective treatment modality for children and youth will be a central theme explored through course content. The group, as a mutual aid system, will be studied in depth as well as the typical stages of group development. Concentration will also be given to developing step by step plans for running groups and developing the necessary leadership skills and therapeutic interaction techniques to become a group facilitator with young people. Another major component of this course will be an examination of the patterns of group dynamic structure in residential settings including recognition of typical group roles of residents, problematic group behavior, appropriate staff interventions, and recording group behavior.

Hours: 60
Course Code: CYCW-1015

Child and Youth Care: Theory and Practice

This course recognizes the critical importance of practice methods employed by child and youth care workers to promote healthy functioning in children, youth, and families. Students will become familiar with a competency-based philosophy and approach to assessing and intervening with youth in a variety of settings. Developing and implementing behavior management strategies will be a predominant focus of this course. Students will examine environmental design issues and the importance of daily living activities as seen within the context of the therapeutic milieu. Behavioral guidance methods including conflict resolution, crisis management, and life space interviewing will be studied in an effort to provide the student with a robust repertoire of practice tools. Attention will also be given to basic family systems theory and the importance of early intervention, family preservation, and strength based assessments of family functioning.

Hours: 60
Course Code: CYCW-1020

Children's Mental Health

This broad based course will examine a wide range of behavioral, psychological, and social problems experienced by young people including treatment approaches currently endorsed to address these mental health issues. The influences of biological structure, genetics, cognition, social and emotional factors, family, peers, community, ethnicity, as well as cultural and situational determinants, will be addressed. Students will explore the psychopathology of childhood and adolescence as part of a continuum of development. Additionally, students will examine concepts of abnormality from a historical and current perspective including assessment and diagnostic methods used in the mental health field. The features, etiology, and treatment of disruptive behavior disorders and internalizing disorders will be covered. The process of formulating treatment plans and successful intervention strategies for specific disorders will also be covered. An intensive component of the course addresses basic knowledge and assessment information combined with techniques and tools to intervene with suicidal youth using specific assessment and intervention models. Students will learn the clinical symptoms of depression, how to assess lethality of depression and the signs and indicators of suicidal ideation. Intervention techniques designed to stabilize a youth contemplating or attempting suicide, including a safety plan and a supportive case plan, will be detailed. The dynamics of group contagion and managing other's responses to the suicidal youth as well as the characteristics and treatment of the self-mutilative youth will be addressed as a distinct component of the self-harm continuum.

Hours: 60
Course Code: CYCW-1025

Child Abuse: Identification and Treatment

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the four primary categories of child maltreatment including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Students will study the complex interplay between the parent, child, environment, and society in order to gain a fuller understanding of the multitude of layers involved in the subject of child abuse. Another major component of this course will cover the identification of the physical, emotional, and behavioral indicators of abuse, casework implications, and the process of treatment for the child victim, the child's family, and his/her abuser. Attention will also be given to the long-term behavioral outcomes and styles of coping often exhibited by abuse survivors. In addition to the central themes of primary identification and intervention, students will be encouraged to examine their own emotional responses to the subject of child maltreatment and the crucial role that self-reflection plays in effective child and youth care intervention.

Hours: 45
Course Code: CYCW-1030

Orientation to the Child and Youth Care Field

This course serves as a broad introduction into the multi-contextual field of child and youth care. Students will become familiarized with the early origins of child and youth care in residential settings following through to the rich variety of contemporary settings that employ child and youth care workers. Students will experience, first hand, the spectrum of services available for youth at risk. This course incorporates a specialized module focusing on unique features of school based youth work. Students will be introduced to the core features of the school culture and the organizational system designed to manage the school setting. Role definition, an overview of child and youth care worker tasks, best practice methods, and the specific challenges of working within the school environment will be addressed. Additionally, students will be provided with an overview of the youth justice system including key elements of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the court process, and the spectrum of services available for youth in conflict with the law.

Hours: 60
Course Code: CYCW-1035

Designing Youth Programming

This course will introduce students to the importance of therapeutic programming for youth in a variety of settings. Students will be provided with a conceptual framework and the necessary skills to develop programs that can be used in the attainment of leisure, educational, and therapeutic goals with youth. Attention will be given to selecting and obtaining resources necessary for successful program implementation. Through hands-on exploration, students will gain exposure to skills in arts, crafts, games, and music that assist youth in identifying and developing their strengths and discovering their hidden talents as well as providing healthy outlets for leisure time. Students will learn to analyze the skill level required in various activities and how modifications can be made to ensure client satisfaction and success. Considerable emphasis will be placed upon tapping into children's creative potential using a variety of mediums in the recreation domain.

Hours: 45
Course Code: CYCW-1041

Developing Self-Reflection in Child and Youth Care Practice

This course will guide students through an interactive process of recognizing personal strengths and limitations, feelings and needs, and the recognition of the impact that one's personal style has on others. Through an intensive, experiential seminar, using a small group format, students will explore values, beliefs, lifestyles, and family of origin issues. Students will also examine the influences these themes have on definition of self and others. Upon completion of this course, students will have developed increased awareness of the value of developing a reflective practice and the importance of distinguishing personal and professional boundaries and the ongoing necessity of maintaining healthy self-care strategies.

Hours: 30
Course Code: CYCW-1045

Professionalism in Practice

This course is designed to instill in students the importance of making a commitment to integrate the core values of the child and youth care profession into their daily work. Students will explore key principles of professionalism as demonstrated by child and youth care workers in the workplace including professional behavior, parameters of ethical practice, incorporating cultural and human diversity into practice, and assessment and documentation skills.

Hours: 45
Course Code: CYCW-1050

Safety and Security Practices in Youth Care Settings

This course is designed to acquaint students with the pertinent considerations necessary to create and sustain a safe and secure living environment. Students will examine a broad spectrum of topics including crisis management, physical interventions, life threatening situations, recognizing and controlling dangerous substances and situations, substance abuse issues, and risk management concerns in daily activities. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of policies, procedures, and strategic planning to provide maximum safety for clients and staff.

Hours: 45
Course Code: CYCW-1055

Individual Client Practicum

The Individual Client Practicum places focus on the importance of building genuine relationships characterized by empathy and acceptance in promoting healthy personal development in youth. Relationship building, as a vehicle for change, is a central theme in child and youth care and students will learn first hand about the rewards and challenges of engaging a young person in a therapeutic relationship with an adult. During this practicum, students will interact with an "at risk" youth referred by a community agency. Students will be tasked with conducting a client needs assessment, creating a case plan, providing supportive counseling, monitoring client progress, and liaising with the referral agency. Students will also participate in regular integrative seminars to discuss issues that may arise in the casework process with their respective clients.

Hours: 100
Course Code: CYCW-1060

Group Work Practicum

The Group Work Practicum is designed to provide students with a practical training dimension in group design and facilitation. Students will be tasked with creating, organizing, and facilitating a weekly discussion/activity group in a school or other community setting catering to youth. Group participants are selected on the basis of need and identified social skills deficits. This practicum provides students with valuable experience in developing leadership skills, behavior management strategies, and programming skills. In addition, weekly groups will be living laboratories where students can witness, first hand, the influence of group dynamics upon individual functioning.

Hours: 90
Course Code: CYCW-1065

Agency Overview Practicum

The Child and Youth Care Worker Agency Overview Practicum is designed as an on-site opportunity for students in a residential or school based setting. During this practicum, students will be engaged in observing, questioning, and participating in daily activities and programs conducted at a facility. Students will be encouraged to interact with youth and staff whenever and wherever feasible in order to gain a realistic overview of the operational and situational demands of the youth care setting. Students will be required to experience a variety of shifts during this practicum in order to experience the environmental and behavioral changes displayed by youth at different times of the day and the corresponding demands placed upon the staff with these shifts. This first practicum is critical for students' experiential learning as it helps to confirm their desire to embark on a career in the child and youth care field. It also serves as a beginning clinical reference point for the theoretical components of later courses in the program.

Hours: 40
Course Code: CYCW-1070

Field Practicum

The Field Practicum experience is designed as the cumulative training dimension of the Child and Youth Care Worker program. The practicum is intended to affirm a student's suitability and readiness to meet the challenges of the child and youth care field. Students will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their professional skills, attitudes and abilities to work both independently and collectively, as part of a team, in a youth care setting. Upon successful completion of this practicum, students will have demonstrated their readiness to seek employment as entry level child and youth care workers.

Hours: 480
Course Code: CYCW-1075

Occupational Health and Safety

An overview of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Prince Edward Island. Students examine the legislation, how PEI employees are protected while on the job and the responsibilities of employees and employers.

Hours: 0
Course Code: SAFE-1005

Profile Facts
Start Date:	September
Length:	10 months
Location:	Charlottetown
Credential Issued:	Diploma, Child and Youth Care Worker

Graduate Opportunities

Youth workers provide a wide range of support services to children and their families in a variety of settings. Employment opportunities exist within the following settings:

Government or private agencies
Crisis assessment centres
Young offender facilities
Residential treatment programs
Group homes
Schools
Day programs
Various community-based, youth-oriented programs
Family preservation programs

Admission Requirements

Grade 12 or equivalent with credits at or above the general level
Grade 12 academic English (minimum 65% or equivalent based on English assessment arranged by Admissions)
University credits in psychology and sociology and/or post-secondary diplomas or degrees will enhance application
Candidates must be out of high school at least one year before applying to this program due to the nature of the work and the age range of the clientele serviced by a child and youth care worker
Two letters of reference, one personal and one from an employer
A Criminal Records Check (Vulnerable Persons) with no findings of guilt
Applicant interview, conducted by program staff, that includes applicant completion of a written assignment
A minimum of 250 hours paid work or volunteer experience with youth ages 8-18, to be completed prior to the applicant interview. Babysitting hours are not acceptable. - related form
Current CPR - Basic rescuer Level C and a Standard First Aid certificate from a recognized First Aid/CPR Trainer.
Completion of a program questionnaire
Resumé including work and volunteer experience with applicable dates, membership in groups, associations or athletics, awards and distinctions, and any other information about yourself relevant to the program.
It is recommended that you have up to date Hep B immunizations.

Criminal Records Checks - Information for Prospective Students

Disclaimer:

The following was prepared as a source of information for persons interested in Holland College programs requiring Criminal Records Checks. Although care has been taken in preparing the information contained on this webpage and that the information provided was accurate at the time it was prepared, Holland College does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy thereof. Anyone using the information does so at their own risk and shall be deemed to indemnify Holland College from any and all injury or damage arising from such use. In the event of a conflict between this webpage and any of the sources noted the source document shall prevail. The sources used to prepare the webpage are noted at various places within the webpage and at the end.

Index

A. Criminal Records
B. Criminal Records Check and Vulnerable Sector Verification
C. What is Screening?
D. What is a Certified Criminal Record Check?
E. What is a pardon?
F. Does a pardon erase a criminal record?
G. Will a criminal record check reveal that a pardon has been given?
H. Discharge, Conditional Or Absolute Discharge, Withdrawn Charge Or A Stay In Proceedings
I. Why do some Holland College programs require a Criminal Records Check?
J. Vulnerable Person
K. The National Sex Offender Registry
L. How will a criminal record affect my application?
M. How does a criminal record affect an application to programs at the Atlantic Police Academy?
N. I don’t have a criminal record, yet the form completed by the police indicates that I may or may not have a criminal record. What should I do?
O. What does Holland College do with the information I submit?
P. How does the College decide if a criminal record will cause my application to be rejected?
Q. What if I am convicted of a criminal offence after I have been accepted in the program?
R. Will the CRC or VSV that I submit with my application be sufficient for the duration of the program?
S. Do I have to submit my fingerprints in order to obtain a Criminal Records Check or Vulnerable Sector Verification?
T. How does a criminal record impact my ability to travel?
U. Information Resources

Disclaimer

Criminal Records

Criminal Record Information means criminal records, fingerprints, photographs, and related information maintained in the RCMP National Repository of Criminal Records. Information for vulnerable sector purposes also means pardoned sexual offence convictions maintained in the RCMP National Repository of Criminal Records.

The Canadian Police Information Centre or CPIC is a service operated by the RCMP. The factsheet found at this website provides a full description and explanation of criminal records checks:
http://www.cpic-cipc.ca/English/crfactsheet.cfm

Tuition
Year 1	$4,800
View a full breakdown of costs and booklist for this program.

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