Foundations of Child and Youth Care

By: Carol Stuart

"As the field evolved, the thinking about relationships changed and relationship was seen as a primary tool for change without any additional specific intervention protocol )Fewster, 1990b, 1991). More recently the idea of the relational process of intervention with young people and families (Garfat, 2008; Garfat& Charles, 2010) has characterized child and youth care practice." (p.210)

"Practitioners cannot work without the context of relationship; we work from within it and through it." (p.210)

"In child and youth care practice taking a relational view means that you believe that relationship is reciprocal; both caregiver and care-receiver are influenced in their development," (p.212)

"Relational practice is an approach to practice that focuses on relationship as the primary ingredient in interventions with young people and families." (p.212)

"Relational practice establishes a balance between self and other in the relationship. Because the relationship is co-created, there is a gentle negotiation and discussion of the nature of the relationship." (p.213)

Burns, M. (2014). A Question of Balance: Behavioural Interventions for Relationship Development. Kingston: Child Care Press.