The complete set of 198 Hints are available in paperback from the CYC-Net Press store.
ListenKaren de Sá wrote in a California newspaper yesterday: “Reforming a dysfunctional juvenile hall typically comes down to one basic question, according to professionals across the country. Staffers should ask themselves: If my kids were locked up, how would I want them treated?”
Backing our knowledge and skills, this is a question for all Child and Youth Care workers and needs no further elaboration when it comes to our attitude in doing this work. But it does suggest a further disturbing question: “How could we fail to feel this way about the kids we work with?” It is true that care workers do run out of patience; we sometimes dig in vain for more inner resources when the going gets tough; in the face of on-going hostility and abuse from some angry and untrusting youth, we can be tempted to give up.
Karen’s question is reminiscent of Urie Bronfenbrenner’s famous dictum that every child needs at least one adult who is crazy about him – which we should be careful not to read too sentimentally. For Bronfenbrenner (writing in the context of the family) went on to say that the “crazy” adult needs another adult from whom to receive support and encouragement.
In our business we are talking here about team backing, astute administrators and supervision.
In our practice today we know that we want to do for our clients what we would do for our own kids. But we will also be conscious of our right to know where our “other adult” is, to expect supportive administration and teamwork – and to receive quality supervision.
