Child and Youth Care

Course List

Code Course Description
CFCS 2432

Understanding Indigenous Perspectives and Experiences

This course focuses on introducing students to ways of working with Indigenous peoples in respectful ways through an understanding of relevant historical events, the intergenerational grief and trauma that affects families and communities today as well as the resilience of the people. Local Indigenous values, rich cultural traditions, ways, and medicines will also be explored.

CYCC 1100

On-line Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

This on-line course is for child and youth care practitioners with at least two years of experience who are preparing to earn credit toward a Child and Youth Care Counsellor Diploma. Students may earn up to 75% of a credential based on assessment of their work/life learning. Students will work with an instructor within a Web CT environment and will learn how to use various methods of communication to support their completion of a wide range of prior learning assessments.

CYCC 1141

Introduction to Practice for Child and Youth Care Counsellors

This course provides an overview of the history and substance of North American based child and youth care practice.


CYCC 1142

Introduction to Aboriginal Child and Youth Care Practice

This course provides an introduction to Aboriginal child and youth care practice. Students will gain an understanding of the history of colonization and the impact of residential schools on Aboriginal peoples and the implications of this for their work. Students will observe and discuss child and youth care practice and develop observation and assessment skills in an Aboriginal context. Students will also explore values and ethics in relationship to working with and for Aboriginal families and communities.

CYCC 1150

Activity Programming for Children and Youth

This course explores conceptual frameworks, skills, and perspectives in selecting and creating activities that are therapeutic in nature for young people. This course emphasizes how leisure, educational, and planned activities can be therapeutic for children, youth, and families. From the perspective of Child and Youth Care (CYC) the designing of therapeutic activity programs will be explored by adapting and selecting activities with consideration of cultural safety, emotional expression, development, and attention to various settings and contexts (group homes, school, community centers, and where CYC’s practice).

CYCC 1220

Relationship Building with Children and Youth

This course is designed to introduce students to the basic theory and practice of some counselling skills with the purpose of building relationships with children and youth. The course will emphasize the development of professional helping relationships, active listening skills and empathy. From the perspective of Child and Youth Care and Youth Justice Work, students will learn ways of supporting clients to explore their challenges and to respond to related feelings. Culture and worldview will be viewed as essential elements for understanding and responding to children, youth and families.

CYCC 1240

Practicum I

This course provides opportunities for students to work alongside young people and practitioners in the community and engage in experiential learning. Students will actively observe, participate in, and recognize the Child and Youth Care role and its position within a complex system of social care, in order to both contribute to and learn from the community.

CYCC 1242

Practicum

This course provides opportunities for students to translate theory into practice. Students will practice skills in selected sites under supervision. Students will integrate and reflect upon their educational, personal and professional experiences in practicum and seminar.

CYCC 1250

Supporting Behavioural Change

This course is designed to provide the student with an understanding of a variety of approaches to supporting behavioural change, including: Behaviour modification, Adlerian Theory and Reality Therapy. The application of these approaches to child and youth care practice will be examined. Techniques used in observing, measuring and changing behaviour will be discussed. Particular emphasis will be placed on skills used in working with clients to develop new adaptive and socially acceptable behaviours.

CYCC 2201

Introduction to Child and Youth Care Practice: CYC Bridging Course

This course presents an overview of the child and youth care field for non-CYCC diploma program students. Content includes a survey of the history and role of the child and youth care professional and an introduction to the Child, Family and Community Services Act. This course may be offered as an online course.

CYCC 2211

Professional Community: Policies, Standards, Children and Families

This course will examine policy, legislation and standards with specific application to child and youth care services in British Columbia. Students will have an opportunity to explore the application of policy, legislation and standards in the lives of children, youth and families.

CYCC 2212

Aboriginal Children, Youth and Families: Transforming Legislation and Policies

This course will examine the policy, legislation and practice standards that have led to and support the
transformation of BC’s Aboriginal child, youth and family services. The course will review the
imposition of colonial legislation and policies on the lives of Aboriginal children, youth and families in
British Columbia and will examine the current legislative and policy context.

CYCC 2320

Working with Others in Groups

Students will have the opportunity to explore and apply the skills of group participation, design and facilitation. Models that promote empowerment, mutual aid, and self-awareness will be presented for examination and application to practice with groups.

CYCC 2332

Strengthening the Family Spirit – Working from Aboriginal Perspectives with Elders’ Teachings

In this course, students will examine how the legacy of colonization and Indian residential schools impacted families, and how intergenerationally, many First Nations, Métis and Inuit families have been left with a broken spirit. They will also examine families from mainstream systems perspectives and diverse Aboriginal perspectives. Starting with the student’s own families, participants are offered tools to use in understanding and reflecting on their own family experience, identifying family gifts, strengths and resilience. The results of having a broken family spirit will be explored as well as pathways to holistic wellness, with recognition that spirituality is a foundation to wellness.

CYCC 2360

Mental Health in Childhood & Adolescence

This course presents a basic mental health literacy framework for Child and Youth Care (CYC) practitioners. The various roles of CYC practitioners are investigated in mental health care for children, youth, families and communities. Students' own values, beliefs and cultural contexts, including Indigenous perspectives, are examined. A broad overview of the mental health system of care in British Columbia is presented.

CYCC 2440

Practicum II

Working alongside young people and practitioners in the community, Child and Youth Care practicum students will be invited to engage in experiential learning opportunities. Building upon their previous practicum experiences, they will reflect on and critically engage with the CYC role and its position within a complex community of social care, in order to both contribute to and learn from the community.

CYCC 2450

Child and Youth Care Practice: Advanced

This course provides students with an opportunity to consolidate and enhance child and youth care practice skills. Using current and emerging theory and practice, students will be supported in the application of skills to new settings and in the development of additional skills. The primary focus of the course will be children, youth and families at risk.

CYCC 2452

Enhancing Resilience in Aboriginal Children and Youth

This course provides students with an opportunity to consolidate and enhance Aboriginal youth care practice skills. Students will be supported to develop and apply practice skills that reflect the experience of Aboriginal communities and Indigenous ways of approaching child and youth care practice in a range of settings. The primary focus will be on strengths, resilience, risks and challenges for Aboriginal children, youth, families and communities.

CYCC 2460

Family Violence and Abuse

In this course, students will examine violence and abuse through various theoretical perspectives and explore the role of the self-reflective and ethical practitioner in appropriately engaging those affected.

CYCC 2490

Directed Studies for 2nd Year in Child and Youth Care

This course provides opportunities for individualized study that meets the learning needs of students at the diploma level in their course of study. Working with program faculty, students will develop and complete research projects, directed readings, and/or additional course work in a specified area that will meet individually identified learning objectives for which there is no existing course offering.

CYCC 3340

Developmental Theory and CYC Practice with Children

This course focuses on developmental theory and clinical application with children. The content examines the history of eight contemporary theories and relevant implications in practice with children and their families. The context of the ecological model is used as a unifying construct for considering all work with children and families in community settings.

CYCC 3341

Developmental Theory and CYC Practice with Youth

This course focuses on contemporary developmental theory and clinical application with youth. The content examines the history and application of eight contemporary theories to the various community agencies and issues relevant to the field of practice with youth and their families. The course emphasizes program design and professional practice for all work with youth and their families.

CYCC 3350

Child and Youth Care Practice in Child Protection

This course introduces the knowledge and skills for child and youth care workers practicing in child protection settings. Students will learn to apply skills in the areas of investigative interviewing, documentation, applying practice standards and report writing. This course approaches the field of child protection from a strengths-based perspective and explores a range of alternative dispute mechanisms available in child protection. This course examines the principles of social justice and the challenges in child welfare practice with First Nations children, families and communities.

CYCC 3490

Directed Studies for 3rd Year in Child and Youth Care

This course provides opportunities for individualized study that meets the learning needs of students at the degree level in their third year of study. Working with program faculty, students will develop and complete research projects, directed readings, and/or additional course work in a specified area that will meet individually identified learning objectives for which there is no existing course offering.

CYCC 3520

Professional Child and Youth Care: Theory and Practice

This course integrates theory and practice of child and youth care (CYC) by focusing on theoretical perspectives of change and their associated goals, strategies and techniques. Issues and techniques in assessment, case planning, and intervention will be examined. Practical models for case consultation, presentation and evaluation will be presented. Students will demonstrate competence in these real or simulated professional practice areas, and analyze the relationship between professional knowledge, skills, values and styles.

CYCC 3621

Critical Issues in Current CYC Practice

This course examines current issues of risk in the lives of children and youth. Students will analyze areas of practice using theoretical frameworks explored in CYCC 3520 and will develop interventions appropriate to the risk issue. Students will demonstrate competence in real or simulated examples of risk situations using professional knowledge, skills, values and styles.

CYCC 4410

Advanced Practice in CYC, Part 1

CYCC 4410 and CYCC 4411 are an eight month long practicum experience in the field. CYCC 4410 is Part 1. This supervised practicum focuses on application of learning. If possible, students are placed in their chosen professional area of interest. This course provides an opportunity to apply case-planning, intervention, and evaluation skills at an advanced level. Professional consultation, clinical functioning, and the integration of theory and practice are emphasized.

CYCC 4411

Advanced Practice in CYC, Part 2

CYCC 4410 and CYCC 4411 are an eight month long practicum experience in the field. CYCC 4411 is Part 2. This supervised practicum focuses on application of learning. If possible, students are placed in their chosen professional area of interest. This course provides an opportunity to apply case-planning, intervention, and evaluation skills at an advanced level. Professional consultation, clinical functioning, and the integration of theory and practice are emphasized.

CYCC 4423

Research Methods in CYC

This course introduces students to research methods in the child and youth care field. Within an applied research context, students will investigate the knowledge and skills necessary to locate, understand and utilize research relating to the field of CYC. Students will examine and apply basic issues, designs and methodologies within qualitative and quantitative research models.

CYCC 4425

Data Analysis in Child and Youth Care

This course introduces students to data analysis in the child and youth care field, including both theoretical and practical perspectives. The first half of the course is spent considering a variety of quantitative techniques. The remainder of the course explores qualitative analysis and its guiding principles.

CYCC 4467

Advanced Skills with Individuals in Child and Youth Care

This course focuses on the development of skills in work with individual children and youth. Students are required to apply theories and strategies of counselling in a laboratory environment.

CYCC 4468

Advanced Leadership Skills with Groups in Child and Youth Care Organizations

Theoretical approaches and techniques related to leadership planning and facilitation of professional groups are presented as part of the course content. Content focuses on organizational development, the function of groups in organizations and group facilitation and leadership. The student will apply theory through leading task groups in organizational development and will receive feedback on your work in a laboratory-style environment.

CYCC 4469

Advanced Practice with Families in CYC

This course presents conceptual frameworks and models for understanding family functioning and parenting. The child and youth care service settings in which family work occurs are identified; family assessment methodologies which are appropriate to child and youth care workers in these settings are presented. Students will explore the application of family theory to practice with children, youth, and families.

CYCC 4470

Development of Attachment and its Application to CYCC Practice

The focus of this course will be to provide an overview of attachment theory from infancy to adolescence and its clinical application for CYCC practitioners. The content includes a discussion of attachment theory, psycho-biological origins of infant attachment, understanding the attachment process from infancy to adolescence, cross-cultural patterns of attachment, and clinical applications of attachment theory and research.

CYCC 4490

Directed Studies for 4th Year in Child and Youth Care

This course provides opportunities for individualized study that meets the learning needs of students at the degree level in their fourth year of study. Working with program faculty, students will develop and complete research projects, directed readings, and/or additional course work in a specified area that will meet individually identified learning objectives for which there is no existing course offering.