Abstract
Child and youth care (CYC) practice significantly contributes to the well-being of children, youth, families, communities, and businesses in the United States. Research conducted over the past 15 years has documented systemic problems that limit the availability of a well-prepared, competent workforce to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding field of CYC. Recent practitioner-led efforts have focused on field building by defining the field of practice, describing the body of knowledge and skills, establishing professionally sanctioned ethics and practice standards, and implementing a national professional credentialing system. This article describes the current state of the field and proposes a vision of a national effort to unify professional development across the field, highlighting current trends, milestones, challenges, and priorities. The current evolution of the CYC profession holds great promise in creating a unified approach to workforce development that can significantly impact the emergence of a competent workforce.
Highlights
As more credentialing programs emerge, Child and Youth Care Certification Board (CYCCB) members believe that it will become increasingly important to have in place a unifying context to address problems of limited benefit to practitioners offered by workforce preparation programs and credentials
CYCCB members and many others recognize that the impact of training, education, and credentialing will continue to be limited until regulatory standards are enacted that require adequately prepared practitioners
A wealth of new approaches are making their way into the field. This relies upon a field populated by practitioners who are educated in these approaches and skillful in the complexities of delivering these services, a field of practitioners who are engaged in child care longer than the average 18 months that many practitioners stay employed, a field where there is a future that extends beyond minimum wage and an early ceiling on advancement
Summary
CYCCB will provide leadership to (1) promote a unified vision of the field of practice, (2) increase collaboration between stakeholders across practice environments, (3) promote higher standards of practice, (4) increase and coordinate research efforts to explore the impact of system change on the workforce, employers, and communities, and (5) expand public awareness of the contribution of CYC practitioners, and expand practitioner participation in advocacy. The community will benefit from an increased prevalence of well-prepared practitioners to staff the many CYC programs needed by children, youth, and families locally.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
