This article explores the role of language and forms of communication in professional child and youth care practice. It is argued that all the professional issues of child and youth care practice are significantly impacted by language and the manner in which practitioners use language and a variety of communication forms to articulate their work. The role of jargon in child and youth care practice is examined using several commonly used terms as examples. The need for an ongoing, critical perspective in the use of language is emphasized, and practitioners are encouraged to contemplate the biases and unexamined truths embedded in their day-to-day language use.