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NO 1696

Curriculum Content for Group Care Workers

Even this somewhat superficial functional analysis suggests the range of curriculum content needed by group care workers. Included are the following elements:

Human Development
Human development as intended here is the life-span, interdisciplinary study of the individual from conception to death, within familial, social, cultural, and physical contexts. Central, however, is a concentrated knowledge of development within a particular age range (e.g., child and adolescent development). At the beginning of training, fundamental principles and landmarks in development are emphasized, as are techniques for observing behavioral development. At more advanced levels, consideration of different theories and their support, as well as developmental trends in the areas of physiological, intellectual, emotional, and social development arc stressed, along with an appreciation of variations in patterns of development as this relates to both normal and exceptional populations [Ains­worth 1981; Peters et al. 1974].

It is also essential to incorporate consideration of family development and functioning. Teaching sequences that portray the family in all its cultural diversity as a major socialization influence and foundation of individual development are important.

Intervention
Included with intervention is a range of historical, programmatic, and policy considerations that allow group care practitioners to see themselves within the larger framework of human services helping professions: study of the organizational structure of human services delivery; the underlying political, social, and economic concerns; the history of services; the principal programs and methodologies; the key figures in the field; and the observable evolution and trends. Also considered are such areas as legislation, ethical issues and concerns, geographical and orga­nizational diversity, as well as the range of interventions — for example, informal to formal; private sector, public sector; primary, secondary, and tertiary preven­tion —from least to most restrictive alternatives.

Until this point, we have been talking about what may be called the sub­stantive knowledge base within the group care worker curriculum. This aspect is only half the story. The other half is skills.

Interpersonal Skills
In the work environment of the Child and Youth Care worker, caregivers work with and through people in their roles as change agents. They also need people for their own personal and professional development. To be successful requires skills as a listener as well as a talker; knowledge of and skill in the manipulation of group dynamics; flexibility in using interpersonal skills to be a friend and a manager, a supervisor and an advisor. These skills can be taught and learned.

Group Care Skills
The potential range of specific and general group care skills that a child and youth worker might need or like to know is extraordinarily large. Indeed, most of this volume deals with just those skills, understanding their basis, and knowing how to use them and how to adapt them to different individuals and situations. (See Table 1.)

Knowledge-Generation Skills
To provide a means for their personal and professional development, group care workers also have to know how to acquire new ideas and new information. This process includes using library resources; reading professional journals; par­ticipating in workshops and professional seminars; and gathering, interpreting, and using empirical data for decision making. The level of sophistication varies from worker to worker, but these skills, at some level, are essential for all.

TABLE 1 : Child Care Skills and Methods

1. Caregiving and teaching methods, including but not limited to:
Communication skills (e.g., verbal and non-verbal communication, listening, reflective listening)
Modleling
Contingency management and disciplime
Structuring the environmeent and routimes
Play and play techniques

2. Program planning and implemeentation, including but not limited to:
Analysis and critique of the philosophical and theoretical bases of activities and plans
Client-neeeds asseessmeent
Establishing goals, implementing plans, and evaluating goal attainment
Short- and long-term program planning (selecting, organizing, and sequencing materials and experiences)
Varietites of program content (e.g., language and communications, creative endeavors, self-­help, life skills)

Alternative modes and levels of intervention, including but not limited to:
a. Therapeutic or remedial
Individual (e.g., behavior modification, psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive therapies)
Group (e.g., self-theeory and gestalt, transactional analysis)
Family (filial therapy, family counseling)
b. Preventive and educative
Individual (e.g., behavior modification, peer tutoring, and the like)
Group (e.g., Head Start, follow-through)
Family (e.g., home-based programming, parent involvement)
c. Psychobiological and medical

Administration and supervision, including but not limited to:
Policies, regulations, and the law
Public relations
Personnel management, team collaboration, and staff development
Budget planning and management
Program and personel evaluation

5. Advocacy, including but not limited to:
Understanding the political process, governmental structure and function
Organizing, lobbying, and networking
Laws and regulations affecting children and families

DONALD PETERS and RONALD MADLE

Peters, D. and Mable, R. (1991). The Development of Effective Child and Youth Care Workers. In Beker, J. and Eisikovits, Z. Knowledge Utilization in Residential Child and Youth Care Practice. Washingon DC: Child Welfare League of America, pp. 291-312


References

Ainsworth F. (1981). The training of personnel for group care with children. In Ainsorth, F. and Fulcher, L.C. (eds.) Group Care For Children: Concepts and Issues. London, England: Tavistock.

Peters, D.L., Cohen, A. and McNichol, M. (1974). The training and certification of early childhood pesonnl. Child Care Quarterly 3(1): 39-53,

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