Bachelor of Child and Youth Care (Honours)

  • Gain specialized skills in nature-based learning, social innovation, entrepreneurship, program evaluation and crisis intervention   
  • Get hands-on experience through two field placements and a 14-week work term   
  • Graduates will be equipped to create their own programs, services, agencies and businesses that meet the needs of young people, families and society 

Program Availability and Schedule

Availability

Open

Closed

Waitlisted

Start Term

Availability

International
Availability

Competitive?

Fall 2025

No

Schedule

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Program Summary

Credential

Honours Degree (4 Years)

Program Delivery

Program Code

Area of Interest

Community and Social Services

School

School of Wellness, Public Safety & Community Studies

Campus

Ottawa

Work Integrated Learning

The Bachelor of Child and Youth Care (Honours) program prepares you for a career in either front-line and/or supervisory roles contributing to the care, welfare and positive health and development of children, youth, families and communities. Societal factors are shifting the way people relate to one another, with interconnection between people becoming complex and challenging, resulting in a significant increase in mental health and behaviour challenges among children and youth. There is a high demand for professionals with the skillsets necessary to provide support, care and advocacy for children, youth and their families who have identified needs. Through theoretical and experiential learning including multiple field placements, you learn to develop prevention and intervention strategies for mental health and behaviour challenges and to facilitate change for individuals and systems, while strengthening communities....(read more)

Overview

Strengthen the health and development of young people, families and communities

The Bachelor of Child and Youth Care (Honours) program prepares you for a career in either front-line and/or supervisory roles contributing to the care, welfare and positive health and development of children, youth, families and communities. Societal factors are shifting the way people relate to one another, with interconnection between people becoming complex and challenging, resulting in a significant increase in mental health and behaviour challenges among children and youth. There is a high demand for professionals with the skillsets necessary to provide support, care and advocacy for children, youth and their families who have identified needs. Through theoretical and experiential learning including multiple field placements, you learn to develop prevention and intervention strategies for mental health and behaviour challenges and to facilitate change for individuals and systems, while strengthening communities.

As a student in this program, you develop a strength-based anti-oppressive relational practice. You focus on creative prevention and intervention strategies for diverse children, youth, families and communities. Specialized skills in nature-based programming, social innovation and entrepreneurship allows you to be at the forefront of work with young people and communities. Through group projects, you prepare to work in interdisciplinary teams to meet the needs of children and families. You learn to generate and disseminate knowledge to others and identify opportunities to improve services and the two field placements and full work-term (unpaid or paid) enable you to apply your learning in a variety of organizational settings. As part of the coursework, you earn industry certifications, including Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). Through this program, you develop the advocacy skills to amplify the voices of individuals and systems.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

  • Are able to cope with stress, challenges and crises.
  • Are committed to understanding, working with and facilitating positive change in the lives of children, youth, families and the community.
  • Have an appreciation for the importance of conducting and using research.
  • Are willing to work as a member of interprofessional teams.
  • Have strong observation and analytical skills.
  • Have strong oral and written language skills.
  • Are open-minded, recognize the value of diversity and respect and accept the uniqueness in others.
  • Have a willingness to spend time in outdoor environments.

Courses

Programs at Algonquin College are delivered using a variety of instruction modes. Courses may be offered in the classroom or lab, entirely online, or in a hybrid mode which combines classroom sessions with virtual learning activities. Upon registration, each full-time student is provided an Algonquin email account which is used to communicate important information about program or course events.

Careers & Pathways

Careers

There is a wide variety of work opportunities for you after graduation. As a Child and Youth Care practitioner, you may find employment in:

  • residential care
  • hospital; community health centre; mental health treatment centre
  • addictions and substance abuse treatment
  • shelters and street outreach
  • schools
  • youth justice programs
  • community-based services
  • child welfare
  • self-employment
  • nature and outdoor programming

Pathways

Please use our Pathways tool to search for pathway options.

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

  1. Develop, maintain and assess relationships with children, youth and their families, applying principles of relational practice through and anti-oppressive, trauma-informed lens, respecting their unique lifespace.
  2. Assess and respond to the strengths and developmental and holistic needs of children, youth, families and communities, using methods grounded in theoretical frameworks, research and therapeutic practices, to ensure holistic care and reduce systemic barriers.
  3. Analyze, create, implement and evaluate interventions using evidence-informed practices in the areas of therapeutic milieu and advanced programming to promote resiliency and to enhance development in children, youth, families and community.
  4. Develop and integrate equitable and inclusive practice methods that are anti-colonial, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and strength-based to create positive and sustainable solutions for marginalized children, youth, families and communities.
  5. Advocate for, and in solidarity with, children, youth and their families at the organizational, institutional and policy levels.
  6. Develop communication, teamwork and organizational systems to engage with the interprofessional team and community partners to enhance the quality of service in child and youth care practice.
  7. Analyze and synthesize community strengths, assets and resources as well as systemic causes of community problems from a variety of theoretical perspectives to guide community development.
  8. Design and deliver needs assessments, action plans and intervention strategies to implement and evaluate community-based projects.
  9. Coordinate, implement, manage and synthesize cost-effective services through the assessment and analysis of data on organizational structures and behaviours.
  10. Use methods of inquiry to design and carryout applied research activity, prioritizing Indigenous research ethics and methodologies and considering various means of knowledge dissemination appropriate for community partners.
  11. Use evidence-based research, professional development resources and supervision models to support self-awareness, reflection, personal wellness, professional growth and lifelong learning.
  12. Develop entrepreneurship and organizational planning skills to generate ideas and service delivery models to meet the needs of children, youth, families and communities.
  13. Evaluate relevant legislation and Child and Youth Care standards of practice, competencies, and codes of ethics as they relate to social justice and political issues regarding child and youth care at local, national and global levels.
  14. Apply theoretical approaches that embrace Indigenous knowledges, ontologies and epistemologies to child welfare, education, justice, and community services.
  15. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Tuition & Fees

Get an idea of how much each semester will cost with our Tuition and Fee Estimator.

2024/2025 Academic Year

Tuition and related ancillary fees for this program can be viewed by using the Tuition and Fees Estimator tool at www.algonquincollege.com/fee-estimator  

Further information on fees can be found by visiting the Registrar`s Office website at www.algonquincollege.com/ro  

Fees are subject to change.

Additional program related expenses include:

Supplies and textbooks cost approximately $1,600.00 in the first year, $1,315.00 in the second year and $800.00 in the third and fourth years.

Additional expenses related to field placement requirements are the responsibility of the student: ParaMed clearance, police records check, health immunizations and first aid. The ParaMed documentation clearance fee is approximately $65 and is set by ParaMed, a third-party provider. Industry certifications for therapeutic crisis intervention and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) are embedded in the Crisis and Suicide Intervention course and associated costs are included in the program cost.

Admissions Requirements

All applicants must satisfy both College Eligibility and Program Eligibility requirements.

College Eligibility

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent
  • Mature students are applicants who have not achieved the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or its equivalent and who are at least 19 years of age on or before the commencement of the program in which they intend to enroll. Mature students applying for Degree programs satisfy College Eligibility by having demonstrated academic abilities equivalent to those of Ontario high school graduates, verified by successful completion of at least one full-time term at the post-secondary level (minimum five courses taken in an academic program of study).

Program Eligibility

  • Six Grade 12 University (U) or university/college (M) courses with a minimum 65% average including:
    • One Grade 12 U English course, with a minimum of 65%
  • Please note that mature students must meet the following subject-specific Program Eligibility requirements, either directly or through equivalencies:
    • One Grade 12 U English course, with a minimum of 65%
  • Applicants with international transcripts must provide proof of the subject specific requirements noted above and may be required to provide proof of language proficiency. Domestic applicants with international transcripts must be evaluated through the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or World Education Services (WES).
  • IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each band OR TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT)-overall 88, with a minimum of 22 in each component: Reading 22; Listening 22; Speaking 22; Writing 22 OR Duolingo English Test (DET) Overall 120, minimum of 120 in Literacy and no score below 105.

Application Information

BACHELOR OF CHILD AND YOUTH CARE (HONOURS)
Program Code 6607X01FWO

Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official transcripts showing completion of the academic admission requirements through:

ontariocolleges.ca
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, Ontario
N1G 5J3
1-888-892-2228

Students currently enrolled in an Ontario secondary school should notify their Guidance Office prior to their online application at www.ontariocolleges.ca

Applications for Fall Term and Winter Term admission received by February 1 will be given equal consideration. Applications received after February 1 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as places are available.

International applicants please visit this link for application process information: https://algonquincollege.force.com/myACint/

For further information on the admissions process, contact:

Registrar`s Office Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Ave
Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8
Telephone: 613-727-0002
Toll-free: 1-800-565-4723
TTY: 613-727-7766
Fax: 613-727-7632
Contact: https://www.algonquincollege.com/ro  

Additional Information

Program Resources

Algonquin College has been granted consent by the Minister of Colleges and Universities to offer this applied degree for a seven-year term starting May 23, 2024. The College shall ensure that all students admitted to the above-named program during the period of consent have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable timeframe.

Health Requirements:
The physical and emotional health of each applicant to the program must be such that he or she can successfully cope with the program of instruction including the demands of field placement. If you have any physical or emotional limitations that may impact your studies, you should contact the Program Coordinator prior to submitting an application.

Police Records Check Documentation:
Students must provide the College with a current Police Records Check for Service with the Vulnerable Sector (PRCSVS) prior to field placement and students are responsible for any associated costs. If this documentation is not submitted by the deadline identified by the department, students may not be placed in field practice and progression through the program may be delayed. If you cannot complete field placements, you will not be able to graduate.

Field Placement and Work Term Eligibility:
To be eligible for placement, you must submit proof of Standard First Aid certification, CPR level C, PRCSVS, and complete immunizations through ParaMed. ParaMed services are the third party provider who collects all field placement documentation for the Community Studies department.

If you are an International Student:
International students require a work permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to authorize the student in completing the essential work component in the field placement courses and work term in the 4-year BCYC degree. This permit should be obtained as soon as possible. At the port of entry to Canada, students should let the customs officer know that they need the work permit and should include a letter issued by the International Admissions office to add support to the request.

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