Child and Youth Care (CYC) is a profession which focuses on the developmental needs of children and families within the space and time of their daily lives.
Child and Youth Care practice primary objective is catering the client population to achieve the Max-Neef model of human needs satisfaction.
[2][3] This service includes skills in developing relationships, assessing needs and strengths, supporting children and families in the life space, and participating in systems interventions through direct care, supervision, administration, teaching, research, consultation and advocacy.
Child and youth care workers specialize in the development and implementation of therapeutic programs and planned environments and the utilization of daily life events to facilitate change.
At the core of all effective child and youth care practice is a focus on the therapeutic relationship; the application of theory and research about human growth and development to promote the optimal physical, psycho-social, spiritual, cognitive, and emotional development of young people towards a healthy and productive adulthood; and a focus on strengths and assets rather than pathology.