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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: 2. Program planning and
implemeentation, including but not limited to: Alternative modes and levels of
intervention, including but not limited to: Administration and supervision,
including but not limited to: 5. Advocacy, including but not
limited to: |
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,