In June 2013 the first ever Child and Youth Care World Conference, Connecting at the Crossroads, was held in St. John’s. This event was hosted by the Child and Youth Care Association of Newfoundland and Labrador in collaboration with the International Child and Youth Care Network (CYC-Net). The theme of that conference was focused on connecting – across geography, across disciplines, across generations and across practice domains.
In 2026, the Child and Youth Care World Conference is returning to where it all began! The theme for the upcoming conference is Healing through Connection. We are still connecting through all the areas identified in 2023, and we are also connecting to our history, to each other, and to the young people and families we serve. The 2026 Child and Youth Care World Conference logo is an updated version of the 2013 logo. We changed the colours to be congruent with the CYC-Net logo, and expanded the word cloud to include the 25 characteristics of relational child and youth care practice.
In 2013 we brought together professionals from around the world who work with vulnerable children, youth and families, and provided world class educational and networking opportunities for child and youth care workers, social workers, foster parents, teachers, guidance counselors, therapists, outreach workers, psychiatrists, researchers and related child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice practitioners. We connected elders, current leaders and new practitioners, and front-line workers, educators, managers, trainers, and researchers. We cultivated opportunities for engagement, built new relationships, forged new connections, and left the experience inspired, motivated and energized. Now, we are back to do it again!
Healing through Connection – come join us in St. John’s in June 2026.
Learn about Our Keynotes
Stacey Howse
Stacey is a proud Mi’kmaw woman and member of Miawpukek First Nation. She serves as President and CEO of First Light, an Indigenous-led organization in St. John’s that has become a lifeline for many in the urban Indigenous community. For nearly 20 years, Stacey has walked alongside community through growth, grief, and transformation—guided by the teachings of her ancestors and the strength of collective care. Under her leadership, First Light has become one of the most respected Indigenous organizations in the country, offering holistic programs, land-based healing, and spaces of
belonging for Indigenous children, youth, and families. She has been nationally recognized as one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs and is a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her dedication to community and reconciliation.
Stacey leads with heart and responsibility—grounded in the belief that every child deserves to feel safe, seen, and connected to who they are. She holds a BA in Psychology and Aboriginal Studies and an Executive MBA, but her greatest teachings come from her roles as a mother, a community member, and a lifelong student of culture and ceremony.
She is also a founding member of Eastern Owl, a women’s drum group that brings together traditional and contemporary sounds to tell stories of Indigenous strength, identity, and resurgence. Stacey brings to this gathering a voice rooted in lived experience, intergenerational responsibility, and a vision for child and youth care that reflects the spirit, sovereignty, and sacredness of our children.
Dr. Heather Modlin
Heather has worked in the field of child and youth care for over 35 years. She is presently
CEO of Amal Youth and Family Centre, a non-profit organization providing a range of services to children, youth, families and adults across Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Heather has published numerous journal articles and book chapters and co-edited the book Relational Child and Youth Care in Action. She has served on several national and international boards and is currently Chair of the Board of Governors of the International Child and Youth Care Network (CYC-Net); Steering Committee member of the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance; editorial board member of Relational Child and Youth Care Practice; and a board member of FICE Canada. Heather has a PhD in Child and Youth Care from the University of Victoria. In 2017, Heather received the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for Community and Social
Development in Newfoundland and Labrador and in 2024 she was the recipient of the Unity Award.
Paul W. Baker, Ph.D.
Dr. Baker is a developmental neuropsychologist who has experience working with challenging children and youth across a variety of sectors for over thirty years.
His direct experience includes working as a special education educator, therapeutic school administrator, CEO, COO, clinical administrator, neuropsychologist, therapeutic foster parent, and adoptive parent. Dr. Baker co-authors three books, The Hopeful Brain, Better Behavior...Positively, and The Minded Brain. In addition, he is the developer of The PersonBrain Model, a positive strengths-based training program for working with trauma and other challenging life events. This universal approach is used internationally and incorporates positive, relational, and brain-based strategies that are practical, effective, and culturally respectful of individuals across the life span.
Dr. Baker serves as the CEO of Accentra Behavioral and Educational Services, in Thousand Oaks, California and the Clinical Director of TracksHealth, a division of Allambi Care, in Newcastle, Australia. He provides NeuroTransactional training and consultation to residential treatment facilities, foster care providers, juvenile justice programs, schools, and related therapeutic programs. He may be reached at drpaulbaker@thepersonbrain.com
Kim Samuel
Kim Samuel is a leading voice in the global movement for belonging. She is the Founder and Chief Architect of Belonging Forum, a global research, advocacy, and action organization that combats social isolation and builds belonging around the world. She is also a Research Fellow at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), University of Oxford, and an Associate Fellow at Green Templeton College, University of Oxford.
Through her work with Belonging Forum, Kim has led the Belonging Barometer, a first-of-its-kind, solutions-focused annual study on the state of belonging in the United Kingdom, which draws on survey data from 10,000 participants and explores diverse dimensions of connection related to people, place, power, and purpose. The Barometer will soon launch in additional geographies, including South Africa and Canada. Belonging Forum—formerly known as the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness—also convenes the Global Symposium on Belonging, bringing together the belonging movement’s leading thinkers and change makers, as well as a leading fellowship program for diverse scholars and practitioners working to advance the cause of belonging.
In 2025, the organization also launched the world’s first Charter for Belonging, a set of principles and practices to guide governments, businesses, nonprofits, and other institutions in coordinated action for building belonging.
Kim is also the author of On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation (Abrams Press 2022), an exploration of the crisis of social isolation and humanity’s right to belong. She serves on the executive committee and board of Special Olympics International as well as the disability rights advisory committee and the London and Canada committees of Human Rights Watch. She is a frequent commentator in outlets including the Globe and Mail, Times of London, Scientific American, Time Magazine, The Independent, The Telegraph, The Boston Globe, USA Today, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Psychology Today.
We are honored to announce Dr. Thom Garfat C.M. as the Honorary Chair of our upcoming World CYC conference.
Thom has been a supporter of the Child and Youth Care profession in Newfoundland and Labrador, offering his expertise, mentorship, and encouragement to help strengthen practice and advance the field across the province. His presence as Honorary Chair is a reflection of his ongoing commitment to building capacity and supporting those who work with young people and families here at home and around the world.
Thom brings over 50 years of experience working with young people, their families, and those who care for them across a wide variety of settings and countries. He is a Director of Transformative Relational Consultation and Training (TRCT) and has dedicated his career to advancing relational approaches to child and youth care
practice. As the co-founder of the International Child & Youth Care Network (CYC-Net) and the Canadian journal Relational Child & Youth Care Practice, Thom has made a lasting impact on the field. His internationally recognized training, The Purposeful Use of Daily Life Events, continues to shape practice around the world. The author and co- author of ten books and numerous professional articles, Thom is deeply committed to “making it work”— finding practical, everyday ways to enhance healing and
development.
His outstanding contributions were recognized in 2023, when he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. We are delighted to have him serve as Honorary Chair and look forward to the wisdom and experience he will bring to the conference.
Our Sponsors
Become a Sponsor
Thank you for your interest in becoming a sponsor
In June 2013, the first ever Child and Youth Care World Conference, Connecting at the Crossroads, was held in St. John’s, NL as a collaboration between the Child and Youth Care Association of NL (CYCANL) and the International Child and Youth Care Network (CYC-Net).
This conference brought together professionals from around the world who work with vulnerable children, youth and families, and provided world class educational and networking opportunities. We cultivated opportunities for engagement, built new relationships, forged new connections, and left the experience inspired, motivated and energized.
We are so excited to announce that in June 2026, the Child and Youth Care World Conference is returning to where it all began. This time, it will be held at the St. John’s Convention Centre from June 23-26, 2026. As we continue to focus on the importance of connection, the theme for this conference will be Healing through Connection.
The CYCANL and World Conference committee would like to invite you to be a part of this special event through financial donation or in-kind support. The conference is expected to attract over 400 participantsfrom diverse professional and academic backgrounds from around the world. Through your generous support we will:
- Enhance the overall quality of our event through improved logistics, materials, and outreach
- Provide a high quality conference experience at a reasonable rate for all participants.
In return for your support, we would be pleased to offer a range of benefits including prominent branding opportunities, acknowledgment in event materials, complimentary conference passes, and direct engagement with participants. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss a sponsorship package or support option that best suits your company. A full proposal with sponsorship tiers and benefits is attached for your consideration.
Thank you in advance for considering this opportunity. Please feel free to contact us directly at cycworldconference2026@cycanl.ca to connect with us so we can arrange a time to discuss more.
We look forward to the possibility of partnering with you to make the 2026 CYC World Conference a resounding success.
Thank you for your time
The CYCANL Executive