Advanced Diploma of Child and Youth Care

Sheridan’s Child and Youth Care program prepares you to work with young people who are experiencing significant life challenges.

Exceptional educators, innovative learning

All of our professors have been active in the field within the past five years. Their curriculum is cutting edge and provides a strong theoretical and practical foundation for your future career. 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.

Things you'll learn to do

• Develop and implement prevention, intervention and treatment strategies based on an understanding of human development, family systems and cultural diversity.

• Guide at-risk youth through their daily challenges.

• Teach social and life skills and support efforts to manage behaviour.

• Facilitate personal growth and positive change in young people.

Hands-on experience

You'll complete four semesters of field practicum in two locations that may include youth justice, foster homes, shelters, residential treatment facilities and community outreach programs. Three days each week will be spent in the field, and the other two days will include a unique lab class and complementary course work, lending support to your field experience.

Additional information

The Child and Youth Care 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.

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.

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Develop and maintain relationships with children, youth and their families applying principles of relational practice and respecting their unique life space, cultural and human diversity.

• Assess and respond to the strengths and needs of children and youth, including complex responses impacted by developmental, environmental, physical, emotional, social and mental health challenges in order to promote positive change.

• Analyze and evaluate the impact of the inter-relationship among family, social service, justice and community systems on children, youth and their families and use this information in the planning of holistic care and in the reduction of systemic barriers.

• Plan, implement and evaluate interventions using evidence-informed practices in the areas of therapeutic milieu and programming, and group work to promote resiliency and to enhance development in children, youth and their families.

• Advocate for the rights of children, youth and their families and maintain an anti-oppression perspective and cultural competence in diverse cultural contexts.

• Apply communication, teamwork and organizational skills within the interprofessional team and with community partners to enhance the quality of service in child and youth care practice.

• Develop and implement self-care strategies using self-inquiry and reflection processes to promote self-awareness and to enhance practice as a child and youth care practitioner.

• Use evidence-based research, professional development resources and supervision models to support professional growth and lifelong learning.