Child and Youth Care at Algonquin College

Turn your passion for helping into a rewarding career.

The three-year Child and Youth Care Ontario College Advanced Diploma program prepares you to help vulnerable children, youth and families with complex needs.

Learn to develop and implement a wide range of prevention, intervention and treatment strategies to foster positive change and healthy development in clients. Apply the principles of relational practice with clients, while respecting their unique culture and diversity.

In classes, you learn practical and theoretical concepts and then apply them in field placements.

Working with clients in field placements helps you to develop into a confident and competent child and youth care practitioner. By the end of this program, you have practical experience in two different work environments in the field of child and youth care.

This is the only Child and Youth Care program in Ontario to offer two courses in therapeutic outdoor activities. In these courses, you learn to facilitate therapeutic activities in the outdoors while on a camping trip with fellow classmates and faculty - a truly memorable learning experience.

There is a wide variety of work opportunities for you after graduation. As a child and youth care practitioner, you may find employment in a:

• group home
• hospital
• mental health treatment centre
• shelter
• school
• youth justice program
• community resource centre

If you are interested in furthering your education, this program is a good foundation for future studies in child and youth care, education, social work, psychology and sociology.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Are emotionally strong and able to cope with stress, challenges and crises.
• Are committed to understanding, working with and facilitating positive change in the lives of children, youth, families and the community.
• Prefer to work as a member of a team. . Have strong observation and analytical skills.
• Have strong language (oral and written) skills.
• Are open minded, embrace the concept of diversity, respect and accept the uniqueness in others.

Careers

There are a wide variety of work opportunities for you after graduation. As a child and youth care practitioner, you may find employment in a:

• group home
• hospital
• mental health treatment centre
• shelter
• school
• youth justice program
• community resource centre

If you are interested in furthering your education, this program is a good foundation for future studies in child and youth care, education, social work, psychology and sociology.

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Advocate for the right of children, youth and their families and maintain an anti-oppression perspective and cultural competence in diverse cultural contexts.
6. Apply communication, teamwork and organizational skills within the interprofessional team and with community partners to enhance the quality of service in child and youth care practice.
7. 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.
8. Use evidence-based research, professional development resources and supervision models to support professional growth and lifelong learning.
9. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Program Eligibility

• English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or equivalent) with a minimum grade of 65% or higher.

• Eligibility for Direct Entry to Second Year: Ontario College Diploma, Ontario College Advanced Diploma or Degree in a Human Social Services.
• Applicants with international transcripts must provide proof of the subject specific requirements noted above and may be required to provide proof of language proficiency. Domestic applicants with international transcripts must be evaluated through the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or World Education Services (WES).
• IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each band. OR TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT)-overall 88, with a minimum of 22 in each component: Reading 22; Listening 22; Speaking 22; Writing 22.

Should the number of qualified applicants exceed the number of available places, applicants will be selected on the basis of their proficiency in English.