Development

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V      NORMAL AND ABNORMAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

The area of influence where practice is guided by theories of normative development applied to an understanding of a child’s current developmental status. The focus is on developing social competence and recognizing the strengths that the child or youth can bring to coping with environmental or physiological circumstances that pose risk to normative developmental outcomes.  Practitioners are oriented towards lifespan development and apply developmental theory to understanding pathological behavior and placing it in the larger context of the totality of development. (adapted A,N)

The domain includes developmental theories, patterns of growth and development, learning theory, medication and pharmacology, and the application of theory to the observation and understanding of children and youth.   

A      Knowledge Foundations

The graduate should have knowledge and comprehension of the following areas in order to achieve the learning outcomes within this domain.

1. Life Span Human Development with a focus on children and adolescents
2. Developmental Theory
• Physical
• Cognitive
• Psycho-Social
• Language
• Moral
• Spiritual
3. Exceptionality in Development as it relates to Mental Health
• Psychopathology
• Physical disability
• Cognitive disability
• Intellectual disability
• Psycho-social disability
4. The Language of psychopathology (DSM-IV)
5. Social Learning Theory
6. Medication/Pharmacology (Basic)
   

B      Developmental Theories

The child and youth care worker (recent graduate) knows and understands current research and theory in human development with an emphasis on synthesizing several theoretical perspectives and applying them to practice in work with children and youth. (outcome)  

At the level of beginning practice graduates will demonstrate knowledge and basic application of the theories, primarily through observation and assessment.  As experience increases they will increasingly recognize opportunities for adjusting their own interactions with children and youth based on an integrated understanding of developmental theory.  (clarification)

e.g. An experienced practitioner may engage a 16 year old in an idealistic conversation about the unfairness of nuclear war while at the same time engaging in parallel play activities rather than competitive games because the youth cognitively is curious and can discuss and think at the necessary level of abstraction but socially has difficulty understanding the rules of co-operative or competitive games (a developmental task usually accomplished in pre-adolescence).

Elements of Performance

The child and youth care practitioner:

1. Identifies and explains children’s developmental stages with reference to specific theories  (A) in different domains (cognitive, physical, emotional and spiritual) and across different contexts (A, N)
2. Analyzes the developmental appropriateness of environments for meeting the individual needs of clients.(Q 402-9,O, N,A)
3. Interprets behaviors (children, youth and adults) with reference to developmental norms. (Q,M)
4. Applies interventions consistent with a child’s developmental stages (Q,M)
5. Assists clients to access  programs and resources that support healthy development (N,M)
6. Integrates the developmental domains to examine a child’s development in a holistic manner.(A)
7. Understands that children’s early developmental experiences significantly affect their adult maturational status (A) and applies that understanding to problem behaviors that are reflective of developmental lags in specific domains. (M 821-1)
8. Identifies and describes developmental issues to ensure service plans accurately reflect child or adolescent needs (A,M)
9. Assesses the effects of separation and loss on development

C      Patterns of Growth and Development

Elements of Performance

The child and youth practitioner:

1. Describes the typical and atypical patterns of physical, social, and intellectual growth and development for children and adolescents (A)
2. Incorporates culturally specific development norms into practice application (A, N,M)
   Recognizes when development has occurred at different rates, in different developmental domains, for example the physical, spiritual, emotional and cognitive domains (Alb lifespan)
3. Identifies and describes delays in a variety of developmental domains when they are apparent in a child or adolescent in his/her care.
4. Is knowledgeable in specific subject areas such as: substance abuse, suicide, sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, trauma and adoption and understands how these issues are impacted by the child’s age and developmental stage. 
   

D      Learning Theory

Elements of Performance

1. Applies the concepts of social learning theory (modeling, reinforcement, social attribution) to the development of helping relationships with children and youth.
2. Analyzes the environments that children and adolescents have grown up in to identify the potential for faulty learning and identifies how to change patterns of behaviour learned in those environments.
3. Applies the concepts of learning theory to facilitate developmental change in children and youth.

E      Application of Developmental Theory to Pathology

The child and youth care worker (recent graduate) applies developmental theory to the observation and understanding of abnormal and/or pathological behaviour in children and youth. (outcome)

Elements of Performance

The child and youth practitioner: 

1. Applies interventions consistent with child’s developmental stages (A) and how these are influence by any symptoms of psychiatric disorder.
2. Explains unusual (pathological or symptomatic) behaviour relative to both developmental theory and psychiatric diagnosis.
3. Demonstrates an understanding of theory to analyze how disorders described in DSM IV are evidenced in behavior.
4. Understands the developmental issues surrounding various disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and others identified in DSM 1V,  and modifies intervention plans accordingly.
   

F      Medication and Pharmacology

Elements of Performance

The child and youth care practitioner:

1. Lists and understands commonly prescribed medications, their indications and side effects. (A,M)
2. Administers medication prescribed by the lawful prescribing practitioner in accordance with the prescribed directions and only for medical purposes. (N)
3. Observes, assesses and provides feedback for the evaluation of prescribed medications (adapted N)
4. Seeks consultation on side effects when necessary. (N,A, M)
5. Provides information regarding medication to client and family as required.
6. Understands the need for documentation related to medication (M)
7. Knows the principal drugs used by youth and their behavioural and physical manifestations and can recognize when youth are using/abusing drugs. (822-4 M)