MA Degree Requirements

This course explores the theoretical foundations of child and youth care practice, from its beginnings rooted in allied disciplines to the formation of field-specific theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Using some of the classic texts that emerged from the life-space orientation of scholars and practice leaders such as Fritz Redl, Bruno Bettelheim, Al Treischman and Henry Maier, students will engage contemporary core concepts of the field, including the use of Daily Life Events, life-space intervention, relational practice, the exploration of Self, Meaning Making and the context of interaction. 1 Credit

This course is designed to enhance the research design and analysis skills of the student and to assist the student in planning and conducting the required Major Research Paper. The course assumes an introductory level familiarity with research methods and statistics. An underlying assumption of this course is that MA level students in Child and Youth Care should not only be able to read and critique the literature of the field, but also should have the skills to significantly contribute to that literature thus enhancing the professional credibility of Child and Youth Care. This course focuses on a conceptual understanding of a range of research and evaluation methods that are particularly prevalent in child and youth care contexts such as narrative, appreciative, and critical inquiries as well as quantitative data collection, management and analysis, including metrics used to evaluate the broader social impact of program and innovation initiatives in child and youth serving settings. The course furthermore builds capacity for students to undertake systematic literature reviews as a way of building evidence for aspects of their MRP projects. 1 Credit

This course provides an opportunity for intensive reading and experiential learning about current clinical practice with children and youth in the context of their life space including their family, the community, residential care and school. Students will increase their knowledge, competence, and skills to work effectively with children and adolescents from both a prevention and treatment perspective. The course is designed to facilitate the development of knowledge and skills in assessment and formulation, and in the delivery of culturally and contextually responsive effective intervention to children and their families. Students will enhance their ability to use clinical decision-making with real world complex situations. The approach to clinical practice is grounded in the understanding of the ultimate strength of children, youth and their families as well as the systems that support them. A trauma informed perspective that focuses on attachment, a systemic lens and a narrative approach to engagement will form the clinical foundations of the course. Students will have the opportunity to learn through models of clinical supervision such as clinical reflecting teams, peer debriefing techniques, simulated clinical scenarios through the use of actors, and critical self-reflection through the use of video clips and transcripts. 1 Credit

Drawing from child and youth care (CYC) and allied disciplines, this course applies equitable, ethical practice principles to assessment, intervention, and program planning in healthcare, education, child welfare, criminal justice, community and recreational settings. CYCCB Standards for Practice of North American CYC Professionals are introduced through varied lenses: Indigenous and Africentric paradigms, feminist and critical race-theories, politicized praxis and radical youth work principles. Graded

This course critically explores how historical and current relations of power undergird social structures, institutions, and practices in Canada and examines their relations to CYC. Discussions and readings expose issues that span identities of race, gender, gender and sexual identities and orientations, cultural and religious expressions, social class and abilities/dis-abilities. Students will grapple with the multiple entanglements and ‘messiness’ inherent in exploring these discourses. Graded.

This course focuses on the roles and responsibilities of program management and leadership in child and youth serving contexts. An explicitly child and youth care-informed approach to management and innovation is explored, and ultimately integrated into social innovation strategies designed to respond to specific mental health, child protection or child and youth well-being contexts. The course includes exploring policy frameworks that are central to the child and youth serving sector in Ontario and Canada. 1 Credit

The requirement for MRPs is a 50-page paper on an approved Child and Youth Care focused topic that includes a thorough literature review and an original research contribution (which could be a systematic literature review or a small qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods study). MRPs will be guided by an assigned supervisor from amongst the RFA faculty members of the School of Child & Youth Care, and will be evaluated in writing and through an oral defense by the Supervisor and a Second Reader, who could be a Child and Youth Care faculty member or any Full or Associate member of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies.

Students will complete 225 hours of internship during this course. Advanced practice internships will take place in regulated service settings within Children’s Mental Health, Child Welfare, Education, Hospitals or Community and other major agencies in child and youth serving sectors. Pass/Fail.

A trauma informed perspective focused on attachment, a systemic lens and a narrative approach to engagement forms the foundations of this course. Exposure to various models of clinical supervision including clinical reflecting teams, peer debriefing techniques, simulated “real-world” clinical scenarios and critical self-reflection through video clips and transcripts develops clinical skills to assess and deliver culturally and contextually informed interventions with children and their families. Graded.

This course focuses on the roles and responsibilities of program management and leadership in child and youth serving contexts. An explicitly child and youth care-informed approach to management and innovation is explored, and ultimately integrated into social innovation strategies designed to respond to specific mental health, child protection or child and youth well-being contexts. The course includes exploring policy frameworks that are central to the child and youth serving sector in Ontario and Canada. 1 Credit

This innovative course explores the new and exciting field of online relational practice in child and youth care.  Incorporating the ecological-­‐cyber systems framework and a children’s rights perspective, students will examine the potential of cyberspace as a site for intervention in the life-­‐space of children, youth, and their families. The focus of this course is the development of cyber counselling competencies and relationship building skills in the online environment. Through experiential learning, students are provided opportunities to go beyond the theoretical and explore situations in a simulated online counselling environment with supervision from the course instructor. The course examines leading edge theory and research and investigates the strengths and limitations of electronic modalities and important and distinct ethical issues including confidentiality, privacy, boundaries, and informed consent. This course requires students to engage in a thoughtful and critically reflective application of rights, ethics and theory to a Child and Youth Care approach to working with the cybersystem. 1 Credit