Program Overview
This post-graduate program provides individuals with an opportunity to complete the three-year Child and Youth Care diploma program in an intensive eleven-month time frame building upon their prior learning. This combination of skills results in a dynamic, diversified graduate, prepared to work in a variety of workplace settings with diverse populations and provides practical field placement experience.
A Child and Youth Care specialist facilitates growth and change in children, adolescents and families experiencing a wide range of social, emotional, behavioural, or learning challenges. Graduates are involved in all facets of care from assessment to intake, goal formulation, program planning and intervention. Child and Youth Care specialists facilitate change, provide support and apply a variety of evidence-based intervention strategies.
Program Highlights
- Smaller class size with more one-on-one contact with instructors.
- Exceptional field placements with an effort made to match students to their own community when possible in Windsor, Chatham, Sarnia, and London.
Career Opportunities
With two credentials, employment opportunities for graduates are excellent in mental health treatment centres, residential facilities, young offender facilities, schools, group homes, community-based settings and in-home work with families.
Degree Completions
- Graduates are eligible to apply to the third year of the Child and Youth Care Degree Programs at Ryerson University and Humber College.
- Graduates are able to apply to the third year of the Bachelor of Social Work, B.A. in Psychology, and the B.A. in Disability Studies Programs at the University of Windsor. See the program coordinator for details.
- Graduates are eligible to apply for DSW Accelerated, ECE Accelerated as well as Autism and Behavioural Science. Please see the coordinator for details.
Transfer Agreement
Graduates are also eligible to participate in a Transfer Agreement between the Developmental Service Worker or Early Childhood Education program.
Admission Requirements
A University Degree in Social Sciences with at least one course in Introductory Psychology as well as Developmental Psychology or a Diploma in Early Childhood Education, Developmental Services Worker or Educational Support program. Educational Support graduates who have graduated prior to 2018 and other BA graduates are required to take an additional bridging program offered in the summer prior to admission to this program. Please contact the Coordinator for details.
Field/Clinical Placements
Employers who provide our field practicum require a clear POLICE RECORD CHECK for criminal offences with vulnerable sector screening before accepting a student into the field placement setting. The record check MUST be obtained by the student at the student's expense. Detailed information on dates to apply for police clearance will be given throughout the semester. Some agencies may require a driver's license, additional liability insurance and a clean driving abstract. Students will require a police clearance for their job shadow experience in the fall and a second police record check for their final field placement in June, July and August.
NOTE:
- CPR and First Aid Certification must be obtained PRIOR to final Field Placements.
- Students must successfully complete each semester before advancing to the next.
- You must be available to perform your placement or internship duties on off hours, which may include evenings and weekends. Students are required to make themselves available for full-time placement over June, July and August.
Health Requirements
Accepted applicants must submit proof of a satisfactory medical examination and immunization prior to entry into the field practicum.
Please be advised that lack of documented immunizations may result in the restriction of clinical placement and therefore may delay and/or prevent completion of the prescribed program.
Courses
The curriculum below is for incoming students:
Semester 2
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|
Program Physical Demands Analysis
Program Vocational Learning Outcomes
Child and Youth Care (Ontario Advanced College Diploma) (MTCU Code 60701)
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Develop and maintain relationships with children, youth and their families applying principles of relational practice and respecting their unique life space, cultural and human diversity.
- Assess and respond to the strengths and needs of children and youth, including complex responses impacted by developmental, environmental, physical, emotional, social and mental health challenges in order to promote positive change.
- Analyze and evaluate the impact of the inter-relationship among family, social service, justice and community systems on children, youth and their families and use this information in the planning of holistic care and in the reduction of systemic barriers.
- Plan, implement and evaluate interventions using evidence informed practices in the areas of therapeutic milieu and programming, and group work to promote resiliency and to enhance development in children, youth and their families.
- Advocate for the rights of children, youth and their families and maintain an anti-oppression perspective and cultural competence in diverse cultural contexts.
- Apply communication, teamwork and organizational skills within the inter-professional team and with community partners to enhance the quality of service in child and youth care practice.
- Develop and implement self-care strategies using self-inquiry and reflection processes to promote self-awareness and to enhance practice as a child and youth care practitioner.
- Use evidence-based research, professional development resources and supervision models to support professional growth and lifelong learning.
Child and Youth Care (Ontario Advanced College Diploma) (MTCU Code 60701)
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to
- Develop and maintain therapeutic relationships with children, youth and their families, respecting their unique life spaces, and applying the principles of relational practice to meet their needs.
- Assess the strengths, developmental and holistic needs of children, youth and their families, using methods grounded in theoretical frameworks, research and therapeutic practices, to develop care and intervention plans.
- Develop and implement care and intervention plans appropriate for the therapeutic milieu using evidence-informed practices and research to provide support for children, youth, and their families.
- Use equitable and inclusive approaches that are anti-colonial, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and strength-based frameworks, as well as cultural humility, to create positive and sustainable solutions and respond to inequities and to systemic barriers experienced by children, youth and their families.
- Advocate for, and in solidarity with, children, youth, their families and communities through their participation in the development and implementation of care and intervention plans that uphold their rights.
- Employ communication, collaboration and relational skills with the inter-professional team and with community partners to ensure and enhance the professionalism of practice.
- Engage in self-inquiry, relational inquiry and critical reflection to develop strategies for learning and the practice of self-care, as a practitioner.
- Use professional development resources and supervision to increase professional capacity, learning and leadership skills.
- Adhere to relevant legislation and Child and Youth Care standards of practice, competencies, and codes of ethics as a practitioner.
- Practice in a variety of contexts and settings, respecting needs for developmental growth, safety, wellbeing and agency, while addressing the varying age and developmental ranges of children, youth, and their families.
- Employ crisis prevention and intervention techniques, and harm-reduction principles, with children, youth and their families in the provision of care, to ensure their safety, resolution of crises, and reparation of relationships.
- Develop the capacity to work with children, youth and families who identify with Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities, as well as people in LGBTQ2+ and disabled communities, by identifying systemic inequities and barriers, integrating practices such as trauma-informed care, and respecting their inherent rights to self-determine.
Effective September 2023