Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the struggles high-risk youth face because of their early childhood experiences and shattered relationships to focus on how the child welfare system, whether government, agency, or community organizations interact with the youth. In the Western world, the human services field continues to be driven by risk-management, deficit-based, or problem-saturated systems. The fact the term 'high-risk youth' is a label is not lost on those of us involved in the High Risk Youth Initiative (HRYI) in Edmonton, Alberta. Admittedly, it has been uncomfortable to be talking about an anti-oppressive practice framework and philosophy while calling the youth 'high risk'. The book introduces the Get Connected practice framework that has been incorporated into child welfare and community practice with youth, and high-risk youth in particular, over the past decade through the HRYI. This model is a relationships-based, anti-oppressive practice framework and philosophy.