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Human ServicesChild & Youth Care Concentration

Start Date: September
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Full-Time Locations & Availability

Concentration Overview

Do you value and respect children and youth? Are you committed to seeing their strengths and believe they can develop their full potential? Do you think you would enjoy working with a team to design recreational, therapeutic and social programs for youth who are troubled? Do you think you could be firm enough to facilitate those therapeutic programs and interventions? If so, you will truly enjoy learning all there is to know about being a child and youth care worker.


Child and youth care work takes place 24/7—you must be flexible in your work schedule. Children and youth range from 6 to 25 years old, so you’ll no doubt be broadening your idea of what passes for entertainment: get used to playing with dolls, sliding down hills, listening to crazy music. The more you put into the learning process, the more you will gain—and the gains and rewards in this field are tremendous.


Choose NSCC


  • To work in this area, you must have a diploma in a recognized child and youth care program or an undergraduate degree in human services. NSCC’s Child and Youth program meets that standard.

  • Every instructor in this program has practiced or is still practicing in the field. All are conference speakers, and two are internationally recognized authors.

  • Graduates from this program have received the Board of Governors Award and the Governor General’s Academic Medal, and all are in high demand by the child-caring facilities of Nova Scotia.

Employment Opportunities


  • Most of our graduates work in therapeutic treatment centres, group homes and small options for troubled children and youth throughout Nova Scotia, and some work on contract with child welfare agencies.

Admission Requirements


  • Successful completion of Human Services - Year 1 or advanced standing based on a degree and/or work experience.

  • Applicants must be 19 years of age before they can begin field experience.

Other Info


  • There are 400+ hours of work placement which will take place across the province. You may be placed anywhere in the province. You’re required to find accommodations in your placement area or to arrange appropriate travel which will be an additional expense.

  • You will be interviewed with a placement agency as a pre-placement screening process and are required to provide your own transportation to work placement.

  • Shift work is an integral part of this occupation. Physical demands include 12-hour shifts in a 24-hour work environment as well as spending long periods actively engaged with young people participating and facilitating recreation and therapeutic programming.

  • Effective written and oral skills will be emphasized throughout your work placement and employment experiences.

  • Emotional demands include frequent stressful and emergency situations.

  • A valid Class 5 Drivers License is required for employment.

Courses May Include

Course descriptions
Code Course
HSCY 2001   Child Welfare Communications
HSCY 2003   Child & Youth Methodologies I
HSCY 2004   Applied Techniques/Skills for Practice I
HSCY 2006   Self Directed Readings and Research
HSCY 2007   Child & Youth Ethical Issues
HSCY 2010   Work Experience Orientation - HSCY
HSCY 2013   Child & Youth Methodologies II
HSCY 2014   Applied Techniques/Skills for Practice II
HSCY 2015   Integration Seminar
HSCY 2020   Work Experience - HSCY
HSCY 2032   Contemporary Child & Youth Care Issues
HSCY 2038   Contemporary Child & Youth Care Practices

Additional Graduation Requirements

Code Milestone
  Child Abuse Check
  Portfolio Development

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