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.

Course Content

• Knowledge of history of the profession of child and youth care.
  • history of residential care
  • pioneers in the field of child and youth care
  • movement toward community based care
  • development of family based child and youth care
  • understanding how the historical development of the profession of CYC influences the field of CYC today
• Knowledge of the basic principles and key concepts of practice in the field of CYC, including:
  • social competence
  • normative development
  • ecological perspective
  • therapeutic relationship
  • strengths based practice, reclaiming youth at risk
• Identify the role of the child and youth care worker in a variety of settings
  • range of settings in which CYC practitioners are employed
  • CYC role in the range of settings
•  Examine the Child, Family and Community Service Act (CFCSA)
  • how acts are developed and implemented
  • key elements of the CFCS Act
  • implications of the CFCS Act in practice
• Examine of other Acts currently related to the field of child and youth care
  • review of related acts 
  • implications in practice

Methods of Instruction

• Lecture
• Discussion
• Small group activities

Means of Assessment

This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations.   This will include a combination of:

• Written assignments
• Presentations
• Journals
• Testing

This is a graded course.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Articulate the history of the profession of child and youth care
2. Identify the practice philosophy of the child and youth care worker
3. Identify the role of the child and youth care worker in a variety of settings
4. Examine the Child, Family and Community Services Act and other related acts and the implications in CYC practice

Permission of CYCC Coordinator

Below shows how this course and its credits transfer within the BC transfer system. 

A course is considered university-transferable (UT) if it transfers to at least one of the five research universities in British Columbia: University of British Columbia; University of British Columbia-Okanagan; Simon Fraser University; University of Victoria; and the University of Northern British Columbia.

For more information on transfer visit the BC Transfer Guide and BCCAT websites.

If your course prerequisites indicate that you need an assessment, please see our Assessment page for more information.