Doing competent residential child and youth care work: The normative and experiential dimensions

This article presents two complementary dimensions in competent residential child and youth care. Within the normative dimension, competence in residential work is discussed on the societal, organizational, interpersonal and personal levels. The goal of residential care, according to this dimension, is to enable the child or the youth to return to society as a well-functioning adult. Within the experiential dimension, competent residential care is discussed as it is experienced by both child care workers and their clients. The goal of residential care, according to this dimension, is to focus on the quality of the children's present lives. A possible avenue to integrate these dimensions is presented and implications for policy, program planning, and training are suggested.