The Child & Youth Care (CYC) advanced diploma program at Seneca Polytechnic prepares students to support children, youth and families facing emotional, social, behavioural and mental health challenges.
Students develop practical skills in counselling, intervention planning, youth development, therapeutic programming and family support. Through classroom learning and extensive field placements, students gain valuable real-world experience working alongside professionals in schools, hospitals, treatment centres and community organizations.
The program emphasizes prevention, intervention and treatment strategies that promote positive development and improve the well-being of children and youth.
- Academic Requirement: • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent. • International applicants must have successfully completed Grade 12 or equivalent secondary education. • Complete secondary school transcripts and graduation certificate are required. • Interest in psychology, counselling, child development and social services is recommended.
- ELP Requirement: • IELTS Academic: Overall 6.0 with no band below 5.5 • PTE Academic: 58 • Duolingo English Test: 105–110 • TOEFL iBT: Minimum 20/30 in each skill • CAEL: 60 • Cambridge English: 169 with no skill below 162
- Special Requirement: • Students complete approximately 1,000 hours of supervised field placement during the program. • Field placements take place in schools, hospitals, treatment centres, community agencies, government organizations and residential care facilities. • Field placements are unpaid and must be completed in person. • Students study counselling techniques, therapeutic interventions, child development, youth behaviour and family support services. • Graduates with a GPA of 3.0 or higher may pursue Seneca's Honours Bachelor of Mental Health and Addiction (BMHA). • Professional training included: ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) CPI (Crisis Prevention Intervention Certification) DLE (Purposeful Use of Daily Life Events Training)
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Students whose study permit applications are still pending may request a deferral to the next available intake, provided the request is submitted before Day 10 of classes and the program is available. Deferrals are granted only once.
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Students awaiting an IRCC decision must still meet the deferral deadline. Requests submitted after Day 10 of classes will not be approved solely because a study permit decision is pending.
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Students may alternatively withdraw and apply for a refund by submitting the required withdrawal form and supporting documentation. Applicable administrative fees may be deducted.
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If a study permit application is refused, students may defer their admission and request a new Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to support a future study permit application. PAL issuance is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
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Refund requests due to study permit refusal must include a copy of the official IRCC refusal letter and be submitted within 14 days of the refusal date.
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Only the refusal letter associated with the intake being withdrawn from will be considered for refund eligibility.
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Students whose second study permit application is refused before the start of classes may still qualify for a refund, subject to Seneca’s refund policy.
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Deferral requests are subject to program availability, and late requests may require a written appeal.
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Approved late deferrals may be subject to a CAD $200 late fee.
- Application Fee: $90
- LOA Deposit: $0
- Annual Tuition Fee: $17,122
- Total Tuition Fee: $51,366
- Course Duration: 3 Years
- Credentials: Advanced Diploma
- Intake: September 2026
• Valid Passport (Photo and Signature Pages)
• Complete Secondary School Transcripts (All Years)
• Secondary School Graduation Certificate
• Official English Translation of Documents (if applicable)
• Proof of English Language Proficiency (IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, Duolingo, CAEL or Cambridge English)
• CAD $90 Non-Refundable Application Fee
• Statement of Purpose (Recommended)
• Updated Resume / CV (Recommended)
• International Student Application Cancellation Form (Required only if changing agents)
• Documents must be uploaded in PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, TIFF or GIF format
• Maximum file size allowed per document is 10 MB
• Admission is subject to academic eligibility, document verification and seat availability
• Students must be prepared to complete approximately 1,000 hours of in-person field placement
• Some placements may require police clearance, immunization records or agency-specific requirements
• Early application is recommended due to limited seat availability