From
Professor Ewan Anderson,
President of FICE-England and Wales / Caring for Children
From
a small pilot survey of residential and boarding education and
care establishments, there has been strong support for membership
of FICE. The survey will be extended but, since increased membership
is the focus of our activities at present, I thought that I should
use this column to expand upon the potential benefits for establishments
and individuals.
1.
Access to a network of UK expertise FICE has links with all types
of residential and boarding education and care settings for young
people, all the main bodies concerned with the welfare of young
people and most university and college research teams which focus
upon young people, particularly those in residence. As a result,
training days can be offered on virtually any element of the subject.
For particular problems, expertise is available on a consultancy
basis. A highly experienced team can be provided to conduct welfare
audits of the establishment. Staff research can be supported directly
through the membership of FICE or advice can be given on appropriate
university links. Research can also be conducted for establishments
and related bodies.
2.
Access to FICE International Through FICE-England and Wales members
can be appraised of seminars, conferences, publications and research
in the international sphere. Visits for staff and young people
can be facilitated and charitable links established with appropriate
child care settings in the developing world. (FICE is the Federation
Internationale des Communautes Educatives, founded over fifty
years ago under UNESCO’s auspices and now the largest international
professional association for people working with children and
young people.)
3.
The Webmag While the general information in this Webmag will remain
open to all, it is intended to develop specialised sections to
which access will be limited to those in membership of FICE.
Apart
from these potential benefits, members would be able to participate
fully in the activities of FICE and as a result add to the support
which is already being generated for the improvement of the education
and care of children and young people generally. To this end,
a database of all residential and boarding education and care
establishments is being constructed so that children and young
people can be matched with an appropriate setting and placement
can be significantly improved. FICE is also involved with a generic
course for staff working in residential and boarding settings,
which is at present undergoing validation by a University.
If
you would like to share in these developments, I should be delighted
to hear from you. If you are not interested, do please let me
know if you can think of any other possible benefits which would
incline you towards membership. At present the membership fee
is £48 for individuals and individual establishments and
£200 for groups of establishments and other larger bodies.
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Ewan
Anderson (MA, MA, PhD, MEd, PhD, DPhil. Emeritus Professor University
of Durham, Honorary Professor Social Work Research and Development
Unit, University of York) a former housemaster and resident tutor,
holds a doctorate in residential education and established the
PGCE boarding/residential education courses at the universities
of Newcastle and Durham. He has been on most of the government
and non-governmental organisation committees concerned with residential
child care over the past 15 years, including the Wagner Development
Group and the Department of Health's Advisory Group on Caring
for Children Away from Home. He is a Fellow of Dartington and
a member of the Residential Forum and the Boarding Schools Association.
Professor Anderson is a member of the National Standards Committees
for Boarding Schools, Children's Homes, the Custodial Care sector
and of the TOPSS (Training Organisation for Personal Social Services)
Steering Group for National Occupational Standards for Registered
Managers in Residential Child Care.
