Get the Details!
Program Availability
Online, Asynchronous
Schedule
20 hours of self-paced study per week
Complete Your Diploma in 62 Weeks and Prepare to Support Youth Through Their Toughest Moments
Children and teens navigating mental health struggles, family conflict, or the justice system need someone who understands trauma-informed care and knows how to build trust. Oxford College’s Child and Youth Services Worker (CYSW) diploma prepares you to step into that role across community agencies, schools, group homes, and youth justice programs.
- Learn trauma-informed, strengths-based approaches grounded in Canadian legislation and practice
- Build skills in crisis intervention, de-escalation, and risk assessment for youth settings
- Study Indigenous perspectives and decolonising approaches central to youth care in Canada
Give a Young Person the Professional Support They Deserve. Join Oxford College!
This program is built specifically within Canadian frameworks, including the Youth Criminal Justice Act, PIPEDA-aligned confidentiality practices in youth files, and Indigenous perspectives on child welfare, rather than a generalised curriculum adapted from elsewhere.
The Benefits of a Child and Youth Services Worker Diploma
A diploma in this field indicates that you can walk into a multidisciplinary team already equipped with behavioural observation skills, crisis intervention training, and an understanding of the systems, family dynamics, and legal frameworks shaping a young person’s life.
Graduates are prepared to work under supervision across community, school, and residential settings.
Master the Areas of Focus Behind Child and Youth Services Work
- Child, Adolescent, and Early Childhood Development
- Child and Youth Psychology and Behaviour
- Family Systems, Community Supports, and Collaborative Practice
- Mental Health, Addictions, and At-Risk Youth
- Indigenous Perspectives and Decolonising Approaches in Youth Care
- Youth Justice, Law, and Policy Affecting Children and Youth
- Crisis Intervention, Risk Assessment, and Safety Planning
- Inclusive Practice and Supporting Youth with Special Needs
- Youth Mentorship, Leadership, and Empowerment
- Current Social Issues Affecting Youth in Canada
Behind Every Youth Who Turns Their Life Around Is Someone Who Believed in Them First
For a young person facing family conflict, mental health struggles, or the justice system, you may be the one consistent adult who shows up, listens, and helps them find a way forward.
Your patience, cultural humility, and steady presence can shape how a child sees their own future. This program calls for empathy, advocacy, and resilience.
Many Unique Benefits
Coursework in Indigenous perspectives, decolonising approaches, and reconciliation in youth care
Crisis intervention and risk assessment training built across multiple courses, not a single unit
Capstone project addressing a real youth services issue
Coverage of the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the legal system affecting young people in Canada
1240 hours of structured, self-paced online learning
All instruction delivered through the Canvas learning management system
Weekly hour tracking available on the platform, so you can always track your time and progress
Flexible Program Options
Want to build a career supporting children and youth but need to work around a current job or family commitments?
Oxford College’s CYSW program is fully asynchronous, meaning you set your own hours around a 20-hour weekly commitment rather than a fixed class schedule.
For more information about Oxford College’s flexible program options, inquire today!
Study Format and Delivery
The entire CYSW program is delivered asynchronously online, with no fixed daily class times. You’re expected to commit roughly 20 hours per week to readings, multimedia lessons, interactive activities, and discussion forums, all trackable through Canvas so you and your instructors always know your progress.
This structure is built for people balancing work, family, or other commitments who still want a fixed 62-week path to completion.
Key learnings
On successful completion of the Child and Youth Services Worker program, you will acquire the essential skills to support children and youth navigating social, emotional, behavioural, and mental health challenges.
- Trauma-Informed and Strengths-Based Practice
- Crisis Intervention and Conflict Resolution
- Child and Adolescent Psychology
- Indigenous Perspectives in Child and Youth Care
- Youth Justice and the Legal System
- Youth Mentorship and Leadership Development
Real-world experience: the capstone project
Rather than a placement, CYSW students demonstrate their skills through a capstone project focused on a real or realistic youth services issue.
You’ll design, and where appropriate implement, an intervention, program proposal, or in-depth case analysis, integrating theory, research, policy, and practice while reflecting on your own readiness to work with youth and families.
Countless Career Opportunities
Upon course completion and graduation, you can work in any of the following settings:
- Community and Social Service Agencies
- Youth Centres and After-School Programs
- Group Homes and Residential Programs
- Shelters and Transitional Housing for Youth
- School-Based or School-Linked Programs
- Mental Health and Addictions Programs for Youth
- Youth Justice and Diversion Programs
Child and Youth Services Worker Professional Salary
$41,000 – $78,000
Median Annual Salary
3–4 out of 5
Employment Rate*
- Ontario Job Bank reports typical hourly wages of $19.00 to $36.06 for child and youth workers in Canada
- Median annual salary sits around $50,000, according to Glassdoor
- Graduates hired by community agencies, schools, group homes, and youth justice programs
- Training in Crisis Intervention, Trauma-Informed Care & Family Dynamics
Program details
Do you want to support children and adolescents facing social, emotional, behavioural, and mental health challenges?
The Child and Youth Services Worker diploma is grounded in Canadian practice and legislation, with an emphasis on trauma-informed care, inclusive and culturally responsive practice, and ethical, professional conduct.
You’ll explore child and adolescent development, mental health and addictions, family dynamics, Indigenous perspectives, youth justice, and risk and crisis management, developing the communication, advocacy, assessment, and intervention skills needed to work with diverse youth populations.
The program culminates in a capstone project where you apply your learning to a real or realistic youth services issue.
Course Listings: Child and Youth Services Worker
- Introduction to Child and Youth Care — 60 Hours
- Child and Adolescent Psychology — 80 Hours
- Family Dynamics and Community Support — 60 Hours
- Crisis Intervention and Conflict Resolution — 80 Hours
- Mental Health and Addictions in Youth — 80 Hours
- Indigenous Perspectives in Child and Youth Care — 60 Hours
- Youth Justice and the Legal System — 80 Hours
- Special Needs and Inclusive Care — 60 Hours
- Child Development and Early Learning — 80 Hours
- Risk Assessment and Crisis Management — 80 Hours
- Child and Youth Advocacy and Policy — 60 Hours
- Working with At-Risk Youth — 100 Hours
- Understanding Youth Behaviour and Intervention — 100 Hours
- Youth Mentorship and Leadership Development — 120 Hours
- Addressing Current Youth Issues in Canada — 80 Hours
- Capstone Project: Integrative Child and Youth Services Practice — 60 Hours
Admission Requirements
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent; or
- Mature Student Status (19 years of age or older) with successful completion of the Wonderlic SLE-Q entrance assessment with a minimum score of 17
Placement Requirements: a clear Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening (CPIC with VSS).
Why Choose Oxford College?
Career-Focused Education
All of the diploma programs are designed for long-term careers in high-growth industries, offering you a superior fast-track education.
Expert Instructors
Our faculty consists of experienced and well-trained staff who will give you industry-relevant knowledge along with your career training.
Modern Facilities
The state-of-the-art classrooms and labs are compliant with industry standards and allow for an emphasis on practical training.
Easy Campus Access
All our six campuses are located along transit hubs, making travel easy and conveniences accessible.
Flexible Start Dates
Flexible program start dates allow you to plan and begin your new career training at any time.
Financial Aid
Financial Aid may be available to those who qualify. We have dedicated staff who can assist you with the Financial Aid process.
Testimonials
“ Joining Oxford College was one of the greatest decisions I have made and I feel so fortunate to be one of your students. I’m really enjoying your virtual classes, you are an amazing and inspiring mentor. The style and method of your teaching tells me that I’m on the right track towards my potential career. “
-Abdelgadir Gadam, Oxford College Graduate