Within the profession of Child and Youth care, the scope of practice can be very specific, because of the way that Child and Youth care is a unique field, compared to its counterparts. Below, I am going to list 7 reasons why Child and Youth care can be differentiated from other professions. Taken as a whole, these 7 reasons will help better explain the scope of practice for myself and to others.
The first reason is that unlike social work, which focuses more on social problems, CYC is more focused on the child or youth, and how they develop. Healthy child development takes an important role in how the child/youth can maneuver through life. Studying a child’s development compared to studying a child’s community makes for a more personal, and lasting relationship (Anglin, 2001).
The second reason is that Child and Youth Care Practitioners take a very holistic approach to how they help the child/youth. CYCPs focus on the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual development of the child/youth. By taking such an approach, all parts of the child/youth can begin to heal in an intertwining web. This reason is unique because other human service disciplines focus on only one facet of life, such as how a psychologist only focuses on mental health, or how a dentist only focuses on teeth (Anglin, 2001).
The third reason is that CYC takes a more positive method of helping the child/youth succeed. Instead of focusing on areas of development, CYCP’s will build onto the abilities and strengths that the child/youth already has, even if they don’t think they have any (Anglin, 2001).
The fourth reason is that CYC is very flexible in the work settings it involves. The six settings include residential facilities, family homes, schools, street work, hospitals, and in the community. Working with the child could mean anything from cooking food with them to going to the park and playing on the swings. Every moment can be a teachable moment for a child (Anglin, 2001).
The fifth reason is that unlike other disciplines, CYC is focused on developing therapeutic relationships with everyone they may have a professional association with. Therapeutic relationships are essentially the core of CYC. It means having a healthy balance of professionalism and personalism, which involves a high level of skill, especially with everything that a CYCP sees and hears (Anglin, 2001).
The sixth reason is how much passion CYCP’s have for the field. To me, passion is about having a constant drive for what you love. It flows through every part of your being whenever you think about what it is you love to do and it keeps you going, even when you feel like you have nothing left (Stuart, 2013).
The seventh reason is about milieu. Milieu describes how around a child, a CYCP is always working to benefit that child in some way. CYCP’s could be on call at any time of the day or have a child/youth watching them without them knowing. It’s about mastering the concept of living in every moment, and teaching the child/youth how to do the same (Stuart, 2013).
References
Anglin, J. (2001, December). Child and Youth Care: A unique profession. Retrieved from CYC Net: http://www.cyc-net.org/cyc-online/cycol-1201-anglin.html
Stuart, C. (2013). Foundations of Child and Youth Care. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
