The Association for Child and Youth Care Practice (ACYCP) launched its much anticipated professional child and youth care credential in March, billing it as the first national certification program of its kind. The new credential caps a seven-year effort by practitioners who led ACYCP’s North American Certification Project in an effort to increase standards for those working with at risk youth, as well as the effectiveness and safety of youth-serving programs. The certification is intended for workers in afterschool, recreation, foster care, juvenile justice and residential treatment programs, among other areas. Most youth care workers have simply been “getting into a job” rather than entering a profession, which requires an understanding of professional ethics as well as teaching, documentation, and intervention skills,” said Frank Eckles, executive director of the Texas-based Child and Youth Care Worker Certification Institute, and president of the newly formed Child and Youth Care Certification Board. “They need to know how to grow and develop as practitioners over time,” he said.
The certification process is based on core competencies shared across major practice settings in the field. Applicants must demonstrate their competency through multiple assessment methods, including educational degrees, hours of experience, training in specific areas, assessment by supervisors, portfolios, and a passing score on a 75-item examination. Application and testing fees total $175. About four dozen universities and professional organizations
are working with the new certification board to prepare practitioners for the certification process.
are working with the new certification board to prepare practitioners for the certification process.
For more information contact Child and Youth Care Certification Board (979) 764-7306,
http://www.acycp.org/cyc%20certification%20board
Source: Youth Today, Vol. 17 No. 4, April 2008, © 2008 Youth Today, All rights reserved
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