Self

This page has been created and is maintained by the Child and Youth Mental Health Learning Outcomes Project team.

I         SELF

Description of Domain

Three assumptions about how child and youth practitioners work with the self are important considerations for this domain. 1) Growth occurs in a series of moments and interactions, and each moment and interaction has enormous potential. 2) Work with youth is a process of self in action, workers and youths learning about themselves from their experiences together. 3)  Competent practice is continuously interlaced with other spheres of knowledge, skills, and preferred values that are learned concomitantly with the practice[1]. They are aware of and act on the limiting effect of professional client boundaries on the relationship. (N) This domain addresses areas of reflective practice, boundaries, self in intervention, and self care.

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. Core values and attitudes in Child and Youth Care Practice (A)
2. Models for self-awareness and self- appraisal
3. Models for Time Management
4. Theory and symptoms of burnout and stress (A)
5. Vicarious trauma, critical incident stress reactions, and other occupational stressors inherent in child and youth care practice
6. Accepted boundaries in professional practice (note: also in Professionalism but key here)
7. Stress management, self care and wellness practices (N, O) (note: also in Professionalism but key here)
8. Personal goal setting and life-long learning (O)
   Agency, personal, and professional support systems (A)
9. Local professional support services (N,Q,A)

B      Reflective Practice

The child and youth care worker (recent graduate) continuously assesses his/her professional skills, knowledge and personal well-being and reflects on the impact of these factors on his/her day to day practice. (outcome).  (Q, A)

Graduates develop self-reflective habits that ensure quality care to children and youth and enhance personal and professional growth (clarification).

Elements of Performance

The child and youth care practitioner:

1. Analyzes his/her personal biases and cultural values and their implication for practice. (N, Q)
2. Performs going self assessment relative to personal strengths and limitations; feelings and needs; and his/her role in interactions with children, youth, families, and other members of the professional team. (Q, M).
3. Uses reflective tools such as supervision, personal journaling, and other reflective exploratory methods to learn from his/her interactions with children, youth, and families.  (N) (A)
4. Routinely seeks guidance and feedback from supervisors and peers (A) to challenge his/her role in therapeutic interactions.
5. Understands and incorporates “Standing back” in order to assess objectively(Q)*
6. Articulates his/her own learning style (O)
7. Recognizes the importance of self awareness and its implications for practice and          modifies behavior to reflect this knowledge.
8. Re-evaluates goals and make adjustments

C      Boundaries

The child and youth care worker (recent graduate) demonstrates an awareness of professional and personal boundaries to maintain a safe and effective service for children, youth and families (outcome).  (Q, A, M, N) 

Boundaries are fluid and change with the requirements of the relationships that workers have, as such workers much be open to acting on feedback from those outside the relationship and place authentic relationships at their forefront of their interactions. (clarification).

Elements of Performance

The child and youth care practitioner:

1. Recognizes the practitioner’s responsibility to maintain clear boundaries and  ensures that therapeutic relationships do not devolve into social relationships (A)
2. Demonstrates the ability to set, maintain and communicate appropriate boundaries  (N) in a manner that is authentic, respectful, honest and clear (A, O,6-1)
3. Describes his/her own needs and feelings and keeps them in perspective when professionally engaged (N)
4. Maintains the necessary distance to gather the facts and describe them objectively (Q) while engaging in an authentic relationship.
5. Actively seeks and integrates feedback to set his/her boundaries in relation to clients needs within the relationship.

D     Use of Self in Intervention

The child and youth care worker (recent graduate) examines the impact of self on others, cultivates and develops checks and balances to ensure that interactions are consistent and constructive.  Practitioners take into consideration their individual values, beliefs and opinions and the effects these have on their actions with clients and co-workers (outcome). (N, O)

Elements of Performance

The child and youth practitioner:

1. Regularly and systematically evaluates how his/her actions affect clients and inform practice. (Q401-8, 407-2) (O)
2. Accepts, evaluates, and acts upon feedback from others (client, family, colleagues, supervisors) in an effort to improve practice (Q) (O)
3. Examines how his/her own attitudes and reactions impact interventions and adapts practice accordingly (N M 802-2 Q401-8, O)
4. Summarizes his/her own skills, knowledge and experience realistically (O)
5. Takes responsibility for his or her own actions and decisions. (O)
6. Integrates self awareness with current research and practice knowledge to develop, implement and evaluate effective programs and services for clients (N)
7. Plans interventions (momentary and systematic) that incorporate an awareness of his/her own self as well as the worldview of the client and the context within which both are located.

E      Self Care

The child and youth care worker (recent graduate) values self-care as an essential component of healthy practice.  Graduates demonstrate an integration of self care strategies into daily practice (outcome). 

They understand that CYC practitioner’s health and well-being must be accounted for and that practice requires continuous reassessment of well being (clarification). (A)

Elements of Performance

1. Demonstrates an awareness of self as a growing and strengthening professional. (N)
2. Maintains a healthy lifestyle including adequate rest, recreation and diet. (N)
3. Incorporates “wellness” practices into his/her own lifestyle (N)
4. Self-assesses for signs of burnout (A) and applies self care strategies which promote  personal and professional growth (0) M 802-4
5. Identifies and analyzes occupational stressors in both self and environment and demonstrates adequate coping strategies  (A, M 802-5)
6. Establishes reasonable and realistic personal goals in relation to self-care, (O,6-3) physical, emotional and spiritual well-being (Q)
7. Accesses and utilizes appropriate resources to build and maintain a support network (N).
8. Obtains training, education, supervision, experience and/or counsel to assure competent service N,O, Q 407-4) A
9. Applies time management skills for an organized practice that balances the process of therapeutic relationships with required professional tasks.(O, 6-3)