News Article

New CYFS Training Unit Will Enhance Skills


1/28/2011 2:52:24 PM


Child, Youth and Family Services Minister Charlene Johnson announces a new partnership with College of the North Atlantic on January 28, 2011. Also on hand for the announcement, from left to right, were Tony Cornect, MHA for Port Au Port-Stephenville West; Joan Burke, Minister of Education and MHA for St. George’s-Stephenville East; and Bruce Hollett, President of College of the North Atlantic.

A new training unit, in partnership with College of the North Atlantic (CNA), will be established to help enhance the skills of the workforce in the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS).

The Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services, and the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Education, made the joint announcement today at the Fowlow Building, one of the college’s campuses in Bay St. George, where the training unit will be based. Bruce Hollett, president of the college, hosted the event.

“We are committed to ensuring that CYFS managers and frontline staff across the province receive the best possible training in a consistent and timely manner,” said Minister Johnson. “I am confident this will result in enhanced training and professional development which, in turn, will enable staff to better serve the children, youth and families of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

The new unit will include a manager and three trainers from CYFS, as well as a program developer from CNA who will work closely with the team and the Dean of Academics and Applied Arts. They will be responsible for coordinating, developing and delivering all training for all programs within the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services.

A key component will be the delivery of the Core Training Program for social workers and managers, as well as the Supervisory Skills Program specifically for managers. This is a best practice based curriculum that focuses on the development of clinical practice and supervisory skills. It is an extensive program that consists of eight modules covering a range of subjects, including case planning, documentation and risk management. The program will be mandatory for the nearly 400 social workers in the system. New social workers will also be required to complete the Pre-Core Training Program in order to build a foundation of skills needed for working with families and children within the CYFS system.

“The creation of a training unit specifically for CYFS workers will ensure a more coordinated, targeted and streamlined approach to professional training for all staff no matter where they are located across the province, whether they are in Nain, Port Aux Basques or St. John’s,” said Minister Johnson.

There are a number of positive benefits in partnering with the college, including the fact that the training unit will have access to 17 campuses. This means CYFS trainers can also travel to various locations to deliver sessions.

“College of the North Atlantic has a great deal of expertise in curriculum development and adult learning which will support the work of the content experts from CYFS,” said Minister Burke. “This new project is another great example of how our public education institutions can help respond to identified needs within the province.”

College of the North Atlantic is very much looking forward to the partnership, said Mr. Hollett.

“We have had many successful partnerships with government departments in the past, and we feel combining our efforts with CYFS for this initiative will further strengthen that relationship,” said Mr. Hollett. “Work conducted in the area of child, youth and family services is directly tied to the social future of our province – something to which the college is strongly committed.”

The creation of a comprehensive training and development program which includes both mandatory and specialized components has been recommended in various reports, including the Clinical Services Review, which was released in May 2009.

“The complex and challenging nature of the work in this department requires our staff to make clinical assessments and manage risk every day,” said Minister Johnson. “We have to ensure staff are not only initially trained in best practice but also that they continue to upgrade their skills and competencies. In addition to mandatory training, we will strive to offer opportunities on a regular basis for all staff in every program area to learn and develop skills in their field.”

The training unit is one element of a larger organizational restructuring strategy which will be implemented over the next year as CYFS staff and programs transition from the Regional Health Authorities to the mandate of a line department. The new training unit will play a key role towards the department’s goal to strengthen and revitalise the child protection system.

In April 2009, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced the creation of a new Provincial Government department dedicated to helping ensure the protection and well-being of children and youth in this province. Child, Youth and Family Services programs include child protection, community youth corrections, adoptions, and child care services.

Budget 2010 committed approximately $167 million to focus on the department’s continued development, provide critical services, and drive improvements throughout the system.

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Media contacts:

Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709-643-7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca

Susanne Hiller
Director of Communications
Department of Child, Youth and Family Services
709-729-5148, 697-3760
susannehiller@gov.nl.ca

Tara Power
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 727-5953
TaraPower@gov.nl.ca