This article explores the themes and issues related to child and youth care approaches to management. The profession is significantly underrepresented at the management level. To some extent, this reflects the challenges of being recognized in the broader human services sector as a profession, but perhaps more so, it reflects an underdevelopment of skills, knowledge and managerial pragmatism on the part of the practitioner. It is argued that management customs and requirements place child and youth care values and principles at risk. However, there are steps that can be taken to mitigate such risks. Common themes and processes of management roles are discussed including performance management, orientation, recruitment and supervision. Child and youth care practitioners are ultimately well placed to assume management positions in residential and non-residential contexts but, in so doing, they must ensure that their managerial identity maintains the fundamental values and principles of the discipline.