Our Leaders
The CYCAA Board of Directors consists of dedicated volunteers committed to enhancing Alberta Child and Youth Care practices. These volunteers, supported by their employing agencies, serve on committees and contribute to various projects. The Executive Board, comprising elected members from diverse sectors such as public and private institutions, post-secondary institutions, and school boards, brings a wealth of skills and experiences to ensure the ongoing success of the profession. Their collective efforts aim to improve the Child and Youth Care field in the long term.
The CYCAA supports its members in Alberta and beyond:
• Provincial Conferences
• National and International Child and Youth Care conferences
• ALIGN
• Council of Canadian Child and Youth Care Associations
• North American Certification Project
• Association of Child and Youth Care Practice
• International Child and Youth Care Networks (CYC-Net)
• The Relational Journal of Child and Youth Care Practice
• CYCAA Online Learning Modules
Our Vision Statement
Child and Youth Care Association of Alberta is a recognized leader in advancing the practice of Child and Youth Care to enhance the health of children, youth and families in safe and healthy communities.
Our Mission Statement
To advance the practice of Child and Youth Care through leadership, advocacy and professional development.
Our Present Direction
The CYCAA offers online training to its members, with the Director of Development and Research overseeing the creation and delivery of the latest developments in the Child and Youth Care field for both members and registered module users.
The CYCAA, sustained with the support of Child and Youth Care Counsellors in the province of Alberta, emphasizes the importance of educated counsellors for enhanced care standards in the province. Members advocate for a higher level of care, evaluating counsellors based on attitude, skills, and treatment knowledge, and ensuring integration of academic learning with practical application while adhering to ethical codes. This approach yields professional counsellors who prioritize care and demonstrate a vested interest in delivering quality services to the children, youth, and families they serve.
As we expand and support our members, we expect to update the Minister of Human Service and the Minister of Alberta Health on our contribution to the well-being of Albertans by seeking legislation under the Health Professions Act. Our commitment to establishing consistent standards for Alberta child and youth care counsellors is a continuous effort.
Our Legacy
The history of the Child and Youth Care Association of Alberta (CYCAA) is marked by a dynamic evolution, focusing on advancing certification and professionalization in the field of Child and Youth Care. Since its inaugural meeting on April 5th, 1970, the CYCAA has consistently progressed, actively pursuing its goals. Membership has expanded significantly, with broad representation from various regions in Alberta, including Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, High Prairie, and Lac La Biche. The CYCAA has played a pivotal role in advocating, expanding, and establishing early objectives related to Child Care standardization, certification, and professionalization in its ongoing efforts.
The Child and Youth Care Certification program is reputedly the most advanced of its kind in North America, and this highly developed program is worthy of history all to itself. Spanning nearly two years, the program saw its inaugural certification as a Child Care Worker employed by the Department in Alberta in July 1979. In 1983, ALIGN (formerly the Alberta Association of Services for Children and Families) proposed to the department that the certification program’s management be transferred to the CYCAA, advocating for certification accessibility to all childcare workers in Alberta. The first certification of a Child Care Worker from the private sector occurred in October 1985. Since 1990, the Child and Youth Care Counsellors in Alberta, through their Association, assumed control of the program. Importantly, the Certification Board achieved independence from all three entities. In 2013, the Certification Board transitioned into the Certification Committee of the CYCAA, maintaining program oversight with the involvement of ALIGN and the Government of Alberta.
Our Partners
CYCAA is proud to be part of and support these talented and motivated organizations/agencies that are dedicated to making an impact on the lives of children and youth in Canada and around the world. Please click on their respective logo to be taken to their websites.
FICE-Canada is pleased to be a national section of FICE-International [International Federation of Educative Communities] that was formed in 1948 to address the needs of children, youth, and families suffering from the devastating impacts of World War II across Europe and beyond. We are committed to learning from our international colleagues and to contributing to the future of FICE-International as a strong voice and effective organization for the well-being of children, youth, and families, and especially those with special needs or in various forms of distress.
The Council of Canadian Child and Youth Care Associations is a national body established to serve as a coordinating and networking organization for provincial and territorial Child and Youth Care Associations.
Their vision as a unifying body is for the development of child and youth care practice and to advocate for quality care for children, youth and families within Canada.
We are ALIGN, a collection of allies – a unified community of agencies that represents the diverse needs of Alberta’s children and families. We are proud to champion the work of our front-line service providers and to support our members. Together, we are stronger.
We are one voice for many – a collective voice for our membership that promotes the essential services our members provide. With a shared vision, we advocate for the causes and issues that directly affect our members and the children and families of Alberta. Together, we are bold.
The International Child and Youth Care Network (CYC-Net) is a registered non-profit and public benefit organization in South Africa and a Not-For-Profit-Corporation in Canada running in terms of its own Constitution.
Its main objectives are “to promote and facilitate reading, learning, information sharing, discussion, networking, support and accountable practice amongst all who work with children, youth and families in difficulty.” – (From the CYC-Net Constitution)