<P> This springs from what used to be known as children's homes or children's institutions which in turn used to part of a city's "charitable" work for children and families who had no access to professional services . Resources for this were always extremely limited and minimally staffed and the service could seldom see beyond a bed with a bedside locker and minimal food and adult attention . There was little or no staff training, with child - staff ratios often being as poor as 1: 30 . </P> <P> It was those same staff members who originally bootstrapped their own training programs by soliciting the help of well - intentioned social workers and teachers into voluntary training opportunities, and rudimentary syllabi were developed into shared coursework . Similar grassroots efforts led to the formation, for example, of the National Association of Child Care Workers in South Africa, who over the years took over much of the organisation and work of this (largely voluntary) corps of teachers and child care workers, and who established further connections with helpful professionals . </P> <P> Practitioners work 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 centers, rehabilitation programs, pediatric health care, and juvenile justice programs . </P> <P> The scope of practice from the Council of Canadian Child and Youth Care Associations provides a helpful definition of the field: </P>

Where do child and youth care workers work