ABSTRACT
Child and youth work (CYW) has been described by many as more art than science. Krueger and Stuart (1999) link competence with context emphasizing the importance of learning how to recognize, change and create context. Krueger (2007) describes CYW as complex, developmental, interpersonal, intersubjective, and contextual. The following quote by Gerry Fewster (2004) perhaps captures the thinking of many leading CYW professionals:
Good child and youth care isn’t brain surgery—it’s much more difficult. No educational courses, training programs or text books can give you what you need in order to be with, understand and guide a young person through the fear, pain, chaos and anger once these demons are at work … Being in relationship means that we have what it takes to remain open and responsive in conditions where most mortals-and professionalsquickly distance themselves, become “objective” and look for the external “fix.”
(p. 3)