Developmental Theory and CYC Practice with Youth

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

• An understanding of the dominant theories of human growth and development with youth is fundamental to professional child and youth care.
• In CYC practice, the significance of theories is in the application to real life situations and conditions.  CYC practitioners need current theoretical developmental knowledge so that they can provide quality care and planning with children, youth and their families.
• The youth with whom CYC practitioners work often have specific support needs. CYC practitioners need to have a thorough developmental understanding of a particular support need.
• CYC practitioners need to develop a general understanding of a broad spectrum of developmental support needs of youth. Practitioners need to be able to analyze the youth’s need for support within the ecological context in which the youth and family live.  Youth who need support and their families are usually dependent on community-based services to meet their needs.  CYC practitioners often play the role of identifying services for the family.  CYC practitioners are often the mediators between the community service and the family. CYC practitioners often are advocates for youth and families in the network of services.
• CYC practitioners have specific roles to play in meeting the support needs of youth.  CYC practitioners will work with many other professions in the provision of service to the youth and family.  It is critical that CYC practitioners know their role and understand the roles of other professionals.  Effective child and youth care practice is both the provision of service and referral to the services of other professions and/or agencies.
• CYC practitioners write reports on youth with whom they work.  These reports are read by other professionals and may be subpoenaed by the courts.  It is critical that these reports be thoughtful and accurate and support the best interests of the youth.  Similarly, child and youth care workers will participate in conferences on youth with whom they work.  Effective, thoughtful, informed verbal communication is a significant professional skill.
• CYC practitioners work in teams, often several different teams in the course of a work week. The ability to effectively participate in teams and discuss developmental issues in the lives of youth with professionals who may have different perspectives than those of the CYC practitioner is a reality of professional life.  Learning how to discuss ideas and remain focused on the best interests of the youth (and not on professional rivalries) is a challenge and a necessity.