Undergraduate - Area of study Child and youth development

Child and youth development promotes and facilitates optimum development of children and adolescents with both normal and special developmental needs, ensuring that their effectiveness within all the contexts in which they function.

The developmental-ecological perspective adopted as the theoretical model of choice for this area of study emphasises the interaction between persons and the physical and social environments, including cultural and political settings. The value of such knowledge has become increasingly important both nationally and internationally as understanding of the importance of early life experiences to the later optimal development and well-being of the child becomes more apparent. Poor early life experiences can lead to deleterious outcomes from underachievement of potential to delinquency and deviancy.

Issues of major importance for the children and youth of South Africa and Africa include mother-to child HIV transmission rates, teenage pregnancies, access to medical treatment, child-run families, orphan status, adoption, poverty and abuse. In South Africa, the mean population age is young and this makes the need for adequately trained professionals to address the issues of children and youth even more of a national and international priority.

This area of study makes a significant contribution to the knowledge-base of child and youth care workers. The knowledge aims to prepare such workers for professional practice, which can focus on the infant, child and adolescent within the context of the family, the community and across the life span.

Professional practitioners promote the optimal development of children, youth and their families in a variety of settings, such as early care and education, community-based child and youth development programs, parent education and family support, school-based programs, community mental health, group homes, residential centres, rehabilitation programs, paediatric health care and juvenile justice programs. Child and youth care practice includes skills in assessing client and program needs, designing and implementing programs and planned environments, integrating developmental, preventive and therapeutic requirements into the life space, contributing to the development of knowledge and professions, and participating in systems interventions through direct care, supervision, administration, teaching, research, consultation and advocacy.

Students completing this major will have knowledge vital to the future development of South Africa and its neighbouring states. Such students will be sensitised to the developmental challenges facing the region and equiped to contribute to the betterment of its peoples while being sensitive to local cultures and beliefs.

Studies in child and youth development complement current majors offered at the Monash South Africa campus such as criminology, psychology, international studies, environmental studies, philosophy and sociology.