What this role is

The Child and Young Person (CYP) Practitioner role is a practice-based certification for those working directly with young people over time.

It focuses on applying the I Matter Framework to support:

• development
• relationship health
• skill-building in real-life contexts

This role is centred on ongoing, relational work with children and young people, not one-off interventions.

Who this role is for

This role is for professionals who:

• work regularly with children or young people
• are supporting developmental, emotional, or behavioural challenges
• are able to apply learning consistently over time in real settings

It is particularly suited to those working in:

• schools and classrooms
• residential or care settings
• community or youth services

What CYP Practitioners do

CYP Practitioners:

• apply the I Matter Framework in day-to-day work with young people
• support development of relationship health skills over time
• use structured thinking to understand behaviour and needs
• contribute to consistent, relationship-based approaches within their setting

This is a hands-on, applied role requiring regular contact with young people.

Certification requirements

To become a certified CYP Practitioner, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Entry requirements

You must:

• have completed Level 1 and Level 2
• have completed the I Matter Deep Dive (Extended Learning)
• be working with children or young people for a minimum of ~10 hours per week
• have agreed suitability for this role with your organisation (where applicable)

2. Learning requirements

You must:

• complete the CYP Practitioner training modules
• engage in relevant reflection and practice-based learning activities

3. Application of learning

You must:

• demonstrate application of the I Matter Framework in ongoing work with young people
• complete a reflective practice journal based on your work over time
• show how you are supporting development and relationship health skills in context

4. Maintaining certification

To maintain this role you must:

• remain engaged in ongoing reflective practice
• participate in CYP practitioner community or peer discussion (minimum 2 times per year)
• maintain active work with children or young people
• evidence that you are maintaining good standing with your relevant organisations
  
  

Where this role sits in the system

The CYP Practitioner role is part of the applied practice pathway:

• Participant – entry into learning journey
• I Matter Informed Practitioner – understands and applies the framework
• CYP Practitioner – applies the framework in ongoing work with young people
• Lead / Advanced roles – extended practice, training, or system leadership
  

Professional context

This role is typically held within structured settings such as:

• schools
• residential environments
• community services

Practitioners working independently must ensure they hold appropriate professional indemnity insurance and operate within their existing professional scope.

Progression opportunities

Experienced CYP Practitioners may go on to:

• Lead Professional roles
• Advanced Practitioner roles
• Parent or practitioner coaching pathways (where appropriate and trained)

Directory listing

Certified CYP Practitioners may be listed in approved organisational directories where applicable.
Learn more about locality hub directory
Learn more about the independent practitioner directory 

Apply

If you are working regularly with young people and want to deepen your practice using the I Matter Framework:

👉 Apply for CYP Practitioner certification