17 AUGUST 2009
NO 1475
The intervention environment
There are several key program ingredients
which are essential prerequisites for using intervention
techniques. In other words, child/youth care workers attempting to use
intervention techniques will have a much greater chance of success if
they work in youth care programs with similar ingredients to the ones
listed below. This does not mean that programs will not have
shortcomings or be missing one or more of these ingredients, but it does
mean that administrators and staff must be constantly working toward
blending similar ingredients into program philosophy and actions.
Commitment to caring relationships
Caring relationships are the most important ingredient in any program
for troubled youths. The "core of care," however, takes time to develop.
The trust, attachment, empathy, compassion and security which comprise
the core cannot be developed through passing encounters with a number of
child/youth care workers. Caring relationships require a commitment to
and from workers. Consequently, in effective programs, administrators
express a strong commitment to the caring role of the worker and support
their commitment with incentives, training and supervision for the
workers. The workers respond by making a commitment to remain with the
organization and by using available resources to continually upgrade
their interactions with the youth.
Developmental dynamics
The bulk of treatment for troubled youths will take place in daily
interactions among the youths and the child/youth care workers. When the
environment is planned and structured to emphasize daily
interactions which enhance emotional, cognitive and physical growth,
there is no more potent force for helping troubled youths. When programs
ignore or downplay this crucial aspect of treatment, the youths are
shortchanged. Effective programs have mechanisms for assessing youths'
current levels of development and encourage the use of intervention
strategies which begin by meeting needs at assessed levels of
development and proceed by building upon existing strengths and by
developing new strengths.
Planned daily activities
Planned involvement in self care, academic, vocational, and recreational
activities is part of the central focus of successful programs. Troubled
youths need extensive involvement with peers and adults in activities
which promote mastery of daily living skills, develop academic and
vocational skills, and enhance artistic, musical and athletic abilities.
These are the activities that most program managers believe will help
troubled youth to be independent, to problem solve, and to create their
own fun and enjoyment. However, program managers will also agree that
these activities can be easily lost in the shuffle of daily interactions
or be interrupted by circular effect behavior. Therefore, successful
programs emphasize advance planning to eliminate as much confusion and
disruption as possible.
Family involvement
Youths need continual involvement with their families, even youths who
come from very disruptive families. This involvement, however, should
not be limited to traditional family therapy. Family
members want to know how to manage, teach, parent, and enjoy their
youths, and most troubled youths need continuous interaction with their
parents and siblings. Therefore, effective programs involve families in
as many child/youth care facets of the program as are reasonably
possible.
Discipline alternatives to punishment
Troubled youths do not need more punishment. If punishment were the
answer, most of them would be exemplary citizens. They have been
punished throughout their lives, many of them physically punished, and
even more of them pyschologically punished. Hence, effective programs
try to expose youths to the many discipline alternatives to punishment
which have been developed over the past years. For example, there are
discipline techniques which emphasize self discipline or internal
control as an alternative to external, punishment imposed by adults.
These alternatives have a much better prognosis for success, but also
require time, patience, and commitment to deliver.
Team decision-making
Child/youth care workers are rarely the sole implementers of an
intervention technique. They are usually part of a team of workers who
are responsible for choosing and implementing intervention techniques
for a specific group of children.Teams can be as large as ten members
and as small as two members. Some teams have members from several
departments in addition to the child/youth care department and other
teams have members from only one or two departments. No matter how small
or large the team, the objective is to reach consensus about how to
intervene with each youth in the team's care. Agreements are obtained by
a majority vote but members of the minority must also be willing to
compromise in order to effectively implement team decisions. One or two
members cannot be resisting or "doing their own thing" or the technique
will fail.
Creating a consensus decision-making environment is not easy but it can be accomplished. Programs with effective consensus team decisionmaking usually have the following characteristics: (a) there is a strong commitment among administrators to promote professional equality for all team members; (b) in-service training emphasizes teamwork, communication, and reporting and observing skills; (c) working conditions and incentives are comparable for most team members; and (d) all team members have an opportunity to attend team decision-making meetings.
MARK KRUEGER
Krueger, M. (1988). Intervention techniques for child/youth care workers. Washington DC. Child Welfare League of America. pp. 11-15.