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Help young people overcome life’s toughest challenges

Sheridan’s Child and Youth Worker program prepares you to work with children and youth who are experiencing significant social, emotional, behavioural and/or mental health challenges. When you graduate from the program, you'll be fully employable in a field that is expanding. Through the program, you'll learn how to:

  • Guide at-risk children and youth through their daily challenges.
  • Teach social and life skills.
  • Support efforts to manage behaviour.
  • Facilitate personal growth and positive change in young people.
  • Develop strong personal communication skills.

You'll learn to develop and implement a range of prevention, intervention and treatment strategies based on a foundational understanding of human development, family systems and cultural diversity.

The Child and Youth Care Worker program promotes a strength-based approach to practice that focuses on encouraging a child’s strengths in overcoming their struggles. The curriculum is cutting edge and focused on the current resources and situations faced by youth and child care workers in Canada.

Professors in the Child and Youth Care Worker program have all been active in the field within the past five years. Their curriculum provides a strong theoretical and practical foundation for your future career. You'll learn through:

  • Hands-on experiential activities.
  • Collaborative group assignments that develop problem-solving skills.
  • Presentations by guest speakers and agencies.
  • Role playing activities.
  • Class discussions and case studies.

 

Gain Experience in the Field

 
You'll complete four semesters of field placement in two different locations that may include youth justice, foster homes, shelters, residential treatment facilities and community outreach programs. During your placement, you'll be in the field for three days and in the classroom two days, where a unique lab class and complementary course work will lend support to your field experience.

  • Establish relationships that foster positive change with children and youth, and their families and communities.
  • Model effective negotiating and conflict resolution strategies in interactions with children, youth, families and their communities.
  • Implement a systematic approach in a variety of settings and roles in order to promote well- being and foster positive change for children and youth, and their families and communities.
  • Facilitate the psycho-social development of children, youth and their families through the design and implementation of programs, strategies, resources and information promoting client advocacy and community education.
  • Generate effective solutions to a variety of challenges encountered within the Child and Youth Worker field using critical thinking skills.
  • Analyze the impact of developmental stages, gender identity, cultural diversity and inter-generational dynamics in developing appropriate intervention strategies.
  • Customize responses (e.g. interventions, plans of care) that address complex social, emotional and behavioural challenges.
  • Utilize observational and active listening skills to inform appropriate responses to challenging situations involving children and youth, their families and communities.
  • Integrate theory and practice related to the field through the provision of high quality service.
  • Collaborate in interdisciplinary teams to assist in the development and implementation of effective strategies.
  • Perform ongoing self-assessment, including the use of self-care strategies, in order to enhance professional competence.
  • Integrate knowledge of current and emerging trends and issues affecting the Child and Youth Worker field, in personal and professional learning and practice.
  • Interpret the impact of relevant legislation and regulations within the Child and youth Worker field.
  • Communicate effectively in oral, written, non-verbal and electronic forms to enhance quality of service.
CODE TITLE CREDITS
 
TERM 1
CSRV 10025 Introduction to Child and Youth Worker Practice and Communication 3
CSRV 13431 Fundamentals of Teams and Small Groups 3
CSRV 17900 Child and Youth Worker Foundations 3
CSRV 10004 Child and Youth Development 3
PSYC 15065G Psychology Core Concepts 3
COMM 19999 Essential Communication Skills 3
 
Total: 18
 
TERM 2
CSRV 29798 Child and Youth Worker Practice and Evaluation 3
CSRV 20004 Groups in Context 3
CSRV 17721 Child and Youth Mental Health Issues 3
FLPL 17198 CYW Field Placement Preparation Lab and Seminar 3
CULT 19815G Living and Working in a Diverse Society 3
  General Education Elective 3
 
Total: 18
 
TERM 3
FLPL 17721 Field Placement 1 (21 hours) 9
FLPL 13796 Professional Practice Issues 1 3
CSRV 24998 Child and Youth Worker Interventions 3
CSRV 20123 Creative Therapeutic Programming 3
 
Total: 18
 
TERM 4
FLPL 26206 Field Placement 2 (21 hours) 9
FLPL 29402 Professional Practice Issues 2 3
CSRV 30123 Crisis Intervention and Conflict Resolution 3
CSRV 23921 Working with Families 3
  General Education Elective 3
Total: 21
 
TERM 5
FLPL 39599 Field Placement 3 (21 hours) 9
FLPL 30065 Professional Practice Issues 3 3
CSRV 39014 Working with Trauma and Abuse 3
General Education Elective 3
 
Total: 18
 
TERM 6
FLPL 48634 Field Placement 4 (21 hours) 9
FLPL 40049 Professional Practice Issues 4 3
CSRV 44444 Advanced Issues in Child and Youth Work 3
  General Education Elective 3
Total: 18

Note: Courses subject to change.

Sheridan — where students get skills that lead to jobs. When you graduate from the Child and Youth Worker program, you'll be ready to begin your career in:

  • Youth treatment centres
  • Residential facilities
  • Facilities for young offenders
  • Schools
  • Hospitals
  • Social services
  • Community agencies
  • Homeless shelters
  • Group homes and foster homes

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent, including these required courses:

  • One English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or ENG4U)

or

Mature student status. (See "Admissions" section for details.)


APPLICANT SELECTION

Eligible applicants will be selected on the basis of their previous academic achievement (the average of their six highest senior-level credits, including required courses).

Applicants who do not meet the admission requirements for this program will be assessed and advised individually and may be considered for other, related programs.


PREPARATION FOR APPLICATION

Prospective students are advised to speak to employers in group homes, mental health settings, and the education system. Volunteer and/or part-time employment with children and youth is highly encouraged.


CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK AND IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Sheridan field placement agencies may require a police record check for criminal offences, a vulnerable sector check and/or a current acceptable record of immunization. Students will be required to provide this documentation directly to their field placement prior to the start of the placement and at their own expense. Students who cannot meet these requirements may have limited field placement opportunities. Please refer to the Sheridan Health Services website at Immunization.sheridancollege.ca for complete information, or come in to one of the campus health centres.

Program Offerings

Program Details

Faculty:
Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies
Program Code:
PCYWK
Duration:
3 Year Regular (PCYWK)
Designation:
Ontario College Advanced Diploma
Campus:
Davis Campus
Trafalgar Road Campus
Start:
September (Trafalgar Road and Davis Campuses)
January (Trafalgar Road Campus)