In part one of this two part interview (part 1 posted November 30, 2016 & part 2 posted December 28, 2016), Dr Thom Garfat tells engaging, fun, and insight filled stories about what brought him into Child and Youth Care (CYC), the early days of residential CYC in Canada, some of the important pioneers of the field, and his thoughts on what “relational practice” means. Through Thom’s friendly approach and accessible wisdom, a deep knowledge about working with children, youth and families is shared.