Child and Youth Care

Description

Learn to work with children and youth who exhibit social, emotional, and behavioural challenges that may be associated with mental health, cognitive and neurodevelopmental issues, socioeconomic factors, trauma and abuse, and involvement with the justice system. Child and Youth Care practitioners engage with at-risk children, youth, and their families in a variety of settings as they navigate these challenges and build on strengths and capacities to facilitate positive changes. Students explore, practice, and implement a variety of evidence-informed therapeutic prevention and intervention strategies that are based on an understanding of risk and resiliency, the ecological perspective, relational practice, human development, family systems, equity and inclusion, and exceptionalities. We emphasize experiential interactive learning, community service and opportunities for social innovation, entrepreneurship, and changemaking.

Career Opportunities

Child and Youth Care practitioners engage and work with children, youth and their families across a wide variety of settings including:

• public and private schools
• group homes
• residential centres
• foster care agencies
• day and live-in treatment programs
• youth detention centres
• community-based child and youth development programs
• early intervention programs
• recreational programs
• psychiatric centres
• rehabilitation programs
• pediatric health care centres within hospitals
• home-based care, respite and treatment
• private practice

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. 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;
2. 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;
3. 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;
4. 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;
5. 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;
6. employ communication, collaboration and relational skills with the inter-professional team and with community partners to ensure and enhance the professionalism of practice;
7. engage in self-inquiry, relational inquiry and critical reflection to develop strategies for learning and the practice of self-care, as a practitioner;
8. use professional development resources and supervision to increase professional capacity, learning and leadership skills;
9. adhere to relevant legislation and Child and Youth Care standards of practice, competencies, and codes of ethics as a practitioner;

10. 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;

11. 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;

12. 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;

13. employ environmentally sustainable practices within the profession;
14. develop social entrepreneur skills to foster positive social change in the community.

External Recognition

Georgian College's Child and Youth Care program is externally accredited by the Child and Youth Care Educational Accreditation Board of Canada (CYCEABC). 

Graduates may apply to become members of the Ontario Association of Child and Youth Care (OACYC) – visit www.oacyc.org. Graduates may also apply to be certified with the Child and Youth Care Certification Board (CYCCB) - visit https://www.cyccb.org/ 

Program Progression

The following reflects the planned course sequence for full-time offerings of the Fall intake of the program. Where more  than one intake is offered  contact the program co-ordinator for the program tracking.

Fall Intake - CYCA

• Sem 1: Fall 2025
• Sem 2: Winter 2026
• Sem 3: Fall 2026
• Sem 4: Winter 2027
• Sem 5: Fall 2027
• Sem 6: Winter 2028

Fall Intake - CYAC Accelerated Stream

• Sem 3: Fall 2025
• Sem 4: Winter 2026
• Sem 5: Summer 2026
• Sem 6: Fall 2026

Winter Intake - CYCA

• Sem 1: Winter 2026
• Sem 2: Summer 2026
• Sem 3: Fall 2026
• Sem 4: Winter 2027
• Sem 5: Fall 2027
• Sem 6: Winter 2028

Articulation

A number of articulation agreements have been negotiated with universities and other institutions across Canada, North America and internationally. These agreements are assessed, revised and updated on a regular basis. Please contact the program co-ordinator for specific details if you are interested in pursuing such an option. Additional information can be found on our website at https://www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status
• Grade 12 English (C or U)

Applicants with previous postsecondary education such as a degree or diploma from an accredited university or college in the area of Human Services, Education, Interdisciplinary Studies, Social Sciences, Psychology or Sociology can apply to our accelerated delivery which can be completed in 16 consecutive months; studies begin in September, with graduation projected for December of the following academic year. 

NOTE: Applicants applying to the accelerated program through http://www.ontariocolleges.ca use the major CYAC.

Mature students, non-secondary school applicants (19 years or older), and home school applicants may also be considered for admission. Eligibility may be met by applicants who have taken equivalent courses, upgrading, completed their GED, and equivalency testing. For complete details refer to: www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/academic-regulations/

Applicants who have taken courses from a recognized and accredited post-secondary institution and/or have relevant life/learning experience may also be considered for admission; refer to the Credit for Prior Learning website for details:
www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Criminal Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check

Placement agencies require an up-to-date clear criminal reference check and vulnerable sector check prior to going out on placement. Students should obtain their criminal reference three months prior to placement; checks conducted earlier may not be considered current. As some jurisdictions require longer lead-time for processing, please check with the program coordinator to ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. It is the student's responsibility to provide the completed document prior to placement start.

NOTE: A record of criminal offences, for which a pardon has not been granted, may prevent students from completing their placements, thereby affecting their ability to graduate.

Additional Information

Applicants may be asked to provide community agencies with proof of completion of Standard First Aid and CPR Level C certification, Crisis Intervention certification, as well as an up-to-date immunization record with a two-step TB test in some circumstances to proceed with field placement. Students are required to review agency requirements provided by the field placement office. Proof of completion of the Ontario Ministry of Labour Health and Safety Awareness training must also be provided before proceeding on field placement. 

Graduation Requirements

27 Program Courses
2 Communications Courses
4 Field Placements
5 General Education Courses

Graduation Eligibility

To graduate from this program, the passing weighted average for promotion through each semester, from year to year, and to graduate is 60%. Additionally, a student must attain a minimum of 50% or a letter grade of P (Pass) or S (Satisfactory) in each course in each semester unless otherwise stated on the course outline.

Program Tracking - direct entry

The following reflects the planned course sequence for full-time offerings of the Fall intake of the program. Where more  than one intake is offered  contact the program co-ordinator for the program tracking.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester 1		Hours
Program Courses
CYWK 1007	Child and Youth Care 1	42
CYWK 1015	Child and Adolescent Development	42
HUMN 1008	Success in Human Services and Beyond	42
HUMN 2004	Interpersonal Skills	42
Communications Course
Select 1 course from the communications list during registration.		42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 2
Program Courses
CYWK 1009	Therapeutic Programming and Activities	42
CYWK 1014	Interactive Lab 1 – Relational Practice	42
CYWK 1016	Child and Youth Care 2	42
CYWK 2001	Ethics and Professionalism in CYC	42
Communications Course
Select 1 course from the communications list during registration.		42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 3
Program Courses
CYWK 2006	Family Systems and Interventions	42
CYWK 2009	Sex, Drugs, and Youth Culture	42
CYWK 2010	Mental Health and Interventions	42
CYWK 2020	Field Placement Seminar 1	42
HUMN 1007	Information Ecosystems for Human Services	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
Field Placement
CYWK 2012	Field Placement 1 - Education/Community	224
	Hours	476
Semester 4
Program Courses
CYWK 2002	Social Welfare, Community and Social Services	42
CYWK 2004	Equity and Inclusion in CYC Professional Practice	42
CYWK 2021	Group Facilitation Theory and Techniques	42
CYWK 2022	Crisis Intervention in CYC	42
CYWK 2023	Field Placement Seminar 2	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
Field Placement
CYWK 2015	Field Placement 2 - Education/Community	224
	Hours	476
Semester 5
Program Courses
CYWK 2003	Leadership and Management in Human Services	42
CYWK 3011	Mental Health and Medications in CYC	42
CYWK 3017	Field Placement Seminar 3	42
CYWK 3023	Advocacy in CYC	42
CYWK 3027	Behaviour Interventions	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
Field Placement
CYWK 3012	Field Placement 3 - Agency/Community	224
	Hours	476
Semester 6
Program Courses
CYWK 3018	Preparing for Your Career	42
CYWK 3024	Trauma and Abuse	42
CYWK 3025	Holistic Health and Wellness	42
ENTR 1004	Social Entrepreneurship	42
Field Placement
CYWK 3026	Field Placement 4 – Agency/Community	224
	Hours	392
	Total Hours	2324

Program Tracking - accelerated stream

• students admitted into the accelerated stream use the program code CYAC and will begin their program of studies in Semester 3

Plan of Study Grid

Semester 3		Hours
Program Courses
CYWK 1007	Child and Youth Care 1	42
CYWK 1015	Child and Adolescent Development	42
CYWK 2006	Family Systems and Interventions	42
CYWK 2009	Sex, Drugs, and Youth Culture	42
CYWK 2010	Mental Health and Interventions	42
CYWK 3027	Behaviour Interventions	42
	Hours	252
Semester 4
Program Courses
CYWK 1014	Interactive Lab 1 – Relational Practice	42
CYWK 2021	Group Facilitation Theory and Techniques	42
CYWK 2022	Crisis Intervention in CYC	42
CYWK 2023	Field Placement Seminar 2	42
CYWK 3024	Trauma and Abuse	42
CYWK 3025	Holistic Health and Wellness	42
Field Placement
CYWK 2015	Field Placement 2 - Education/Community	224
	Hours	476
Semester 5
Program Courses
CYWK 1016	Child and Youth Care 2	42
CYWK 1009	Therapeutic Programming and Activities	42
CYWK 2001	Ethics and Professionalism in CYC	42
CYWK 3018	Preparing for Your Career	42
Field Placement
CYWK 3026	Field Placement 4 – Agency/Community	224
	Hours	392
Semester 6
Program Courses
CYWK 2003	Leadership and Management in Human Services	42
CYWK 3011	Mental Health and Medications in CYC	42
CYWK 3017	Field Placement Seminar 3	42
CYWK 3023	Advocacy in CYC	42
ENTR 1004	Social Entrepreneurship	42
Field Placement
CYWK 3012	Field Placement 3 - Agency/Community	224
	Hours	434
	Total Hours	1554

Graduation Window

Students unable to adhere to the program duration of three years (as stated above) may take a maximum of six years to complete their credential. After this time, students must be re-admitted into the program, and follow the curriculum in place at the time of re-admission. 

Disclaimer: The information in this document is correct at the time of publication. Academic content of programs and courses is revised on an ongoing basis to ensure relevance to changing educational objectives and employment market needs. 

Program outlines may be subject to change in response to emerging situations, in order to facilitate student achievement of the learning outcomes required for graduation. Components such as courses, progression, coop work terms, placements, internships and other requirements may be delivered differently than published.