Professional Development and Career Building in Child and Youth Care

• NCJ Number: 228870
• Journal: Child & Youth Services Volume: 30 Issue: 3/4 Dated: December 2008 Pages: 301-326
• Author(s): Kiaras Gharabaghi
• Date Published: December 2008
• Length: 26 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: For related articles in this issue, see NCJ-228864-69 and NCJ-228871.

Annotation

This article discusses the current status of professional development within the child and youth care field, with a focus on what is occurring in Canada.

Abstract

The article first addresses the terminology used in training individuals for child and youth care practice. "Preservice training" refers to the formal educational qualifications achieved by prospective practitioners prior to entering the profession; typically this involves obtaining a college degree and completion of an educational program specific to the discipline of child and youth care practice. "Orientation training" refers to the initial preparation required of a practitioner when entering a particular work place, and "in-service training" refers to the training that practitioners receive once they have been hired. "Mandatory training" refers to specific certifications or skills that every practitioner in a given service context must have in order to comply with legislative or regulatory requirements within a particular jurisdiction. "Professional development" refers to learning opportunities and activities pursued by practitioners that may not be specifically related to current employment but advances skills within the broader profession. "Career development" refers to the way in which a practitioner envisions his/her professional future over time. Following these definitions of training terminology, training and professional development in residential child and youth care are discussed, including structural and organizational barriers to professional development for individual workers, as well as practitioner-level barriers that can impede professional development. This is followed by a discussion of professional development in nonresidential contexts, limitations of child and youth care practice, and protection work in child welfare. Discussions of particular practice specialties in child and youth care address therapy and diagnostic work. Within the latter specialty, a section discusses disciplinary limitations and staying true to the profession. 34 references