Developing a competent staff of child and youth care workers is a major challenge for most group care programs for children, youth, and families. Factors such as low pay, lack of preparation, and demanding working conditions have contributed to creating a workforce crisis. Several studies have been conducted to help mitigate the problems. Many of these studies and experience point to daily interactions as a major source of learning and satisfaction. In this article, with an emphasis on the parallel processes of child and youth care and staff development, I draw on the literature and more than 35 years of experience in child and youth care to construct a narrative that discusses how care of self, participation, mentoring, and atmosphere contribute to successful daily interactions. The purpose is to encourage discourse, continued discussion, and action.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AnglinJ. (2002). Pain, normality, and the struggle for congruence: Reinterpreting residential care for children and youth.New York: Haworth Press.
2.
AnglinJ., DenholmC., FergusonR., & PenceA. (Eds.). (1990). Perspectives in professional child and youth care.New York: Haworth Press.
3.
AustinD., & HalpinB (1989). The caring response. Journal of Child and Youth Care (Canada), 4, 1-7.
4.
AustinM., & HopkinsK (2004). Supervision as collaboration in the human services: Building a learning culture.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
5.
BaizermanM. (1992). Book review of Buckets: Sketches from the log book of a youth worker, by Mark Krueger. Child and Youth Care Forum, 21, 129–133.
6.
BaizermanM. (1995). Kids, place, and action(less).Child and Youth Care Forum, 24, 339–341.
7.
BekerJ., & EisikovitsZ (1992). Knowledge utilization in residential child and youth care practice. Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America.
8.
BrunerJ. (1990). Acts of meaning.Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
9.
CavaliereG. (2004). Cream City dreams: Reflections on professionalization of child and youth care workers in the U.S.Child and Youth Care Forum, 33(6), 375–378.
10.
ChildressH. (2000). Landscapes of betrayal, landscapes of joy: Curtisville in the lives of its teenagers.Albany, NY: Albany State University of New York Press.
KnorthE. J., Van Den BerghP. M., & VerheijF. (2002). Professionalization and participation in child and youth care.Burlington, VT: Ashgate.
25.
KruegerM. (1986). Careless to caring for troubled youth. Washington DC: Child Welfare League of America and Milwaukee: Youth Work Learning Center, University of Wisconsin.
26.
Krueger, M (1995). Nexus: A book about youth work.Washington DC: Child Welfare League of America and Milwaukee, WI: Youth Work Learning Center, University of Wisconsin.
27.
KruegerM. (1996). Job satisfaction for child and youth care workers.Washington DC: Child Welfare League of America and Milwaukee, WI: Youth Work Learning Center, University of Wisconsin.
28.
KruegerM. (2002). A further review of the development of the child and youth care profession in the United States.Child and Youth Care Forum, 3, 13–25.
29.
KruegerM. (2004). Themes and stories in youth work: In the rhythms of youth.New York: Haworth Press.
30.
KruegerM., AustinM., & HopkinsK. (2004). Creating a culture that supports the development of staff. In AustinM. & HopkinsK. (Eds.), Supervision as collaboration in the human services: Building a learning culture (pp. 176–187). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
31.
KruegerM., EvansA., KorsmoJ., StanleyJ., & WilderQ. (2004). A youth work inquiry.Qualitative Inquiry, 11(3), 369–390.
32.
KruegerM., & StuartC (1999). Context and competence in work with children and youth. Child and Youth Care Forum. 28(3), 195-204.
33.
MagnusonD., BaizermanM., & StringerA. (2001). A moral praxis of child and youth care work. Journal of Child and Youth Care Work, 15-16, 302-313.
34.
MaierH. (1987). Development group care of children and youth: Concepts and practice.New York: Haworth Press.
35.
MaierH. (1992). Rhythmicity—a powerful force for experiencing unity and personal connections.Journal of Child and Youth Care Work, 8, 7–13.
36.
MaierH. (1995). Genuine child and youth care practice across the North American continent.Journal of Child and Youth Care (Canada), 10, 11–22.
37.
MayerM. (1957). A guide for child care workers. Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America.
38.
NukkalaM., & RavitchS (1998). Matters of interpretation.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
39.
OrtizS. (1992). Woven stone.Tucson: University of Arizona Press.
40.
RabinowP., & RoseN (1994). The essential Foucault.New York: The New Press.
41.
RedlF., & WinemanD (1952). Controls from within: Techniques for the treatment of the aggressive child.New York: Free Press.
42.
RichardsonL. (2000). Writing: A method of inquiry. In DenzinK. & LincolnY. (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 923–948). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
43.
SarrisG. (1993). Keeping slug woman alive: An holistic approach to American Indian texts. Berkeley: University of California Press.
44.
SavickiV. (2002). Cultural factors related to burnout in child and youth care workers in thirteen countries. In KnorthE. J., VanP. M. Den Bergh, & VerheijF. (Eds.), Professionalization and participation in child and youth care (pp. 121–135). Burlington, VT: Ashgate.
45.
TrieschmanA., WhittakerJ., & BrendtroL. (1969). The other twenty three hours.Chicago: Aldine.
46.
Vander VenK. (1999). You are what you do and become what you've done: The role of activity in the development of self.Journal of Child and Youth Care (Canada), 13, 133–147.
47.
Vander VenK. (1995). Point and level systems: Another way to fail children and youth.Child and Youth Care Forum, 24(6), 345–367.
48.
WardA. (2004). Toward a theory of the everyday: The ordinary and the special in daily living in residential care.Child and Youth Care Forum, 33(3), 209–227.
49.
WeaverG. (1990). The crises in cross cultural child and youth care. In KruegerM. & PowellN. (Eds.), Choices in caring (pp. 65–93). Washington DC: Child Welfare League of America.
