CARING for CHILDREN is the UK National Section of FICE, an International Association for People caring for Children and Young People outside their own Families. FICE has on sultative Status with UNESCO, UNICEF, ECOSOC and the Council of Europe

FICE = Federation Internationale de Communautes Educatives

CARING FOR CHILDREN:

Chair:	Marion Thorpe
Vice Chair:	Keith White
Treasurer:	Vacant
Convenors:
Wales:	Chris Clode
Child Care Practice:	John Blythman
Education:	T.B.A.
Secretary:	Kathleen Lane	ukfice@hotmail.com

NEWS

TREASURER John Hudson has resigned as treasurer of the Association for personal reasons. Nominations for the post of treasurer are being sought from members. There is a small amount of bookkeeping to be undertaken but the Treasurer's main responsibilities will be to help the Association develop its financial strategy. For further information, please contact Kathleen Lane - ukfice@hotmail.com

BRIEFING PAPERS The Association publishes a number of briefing papers. Except where explicitly stated, these briefing papers do not represent the policy of the Association but the best available information at the time of publication. Single copies of the following papers are available on application to the office: Children's Rights: Emergence and Future (July 1998) Holidays, Trips and Exchanges (May 1995) International Placements (May 1997) Residential Care is Successful (November 1997) Street Children; Partnership and Family Support (March 1998) Briefing papers not mentioned above have been superseded and/or withdrawn.

LETTERS, ISSUES AND IDEAS Letters of all types on any issues to do with child care are welcome for the newssheet. This is not a change of policy - as certain Government Ministers would say - we are simply clarifying what has been policy all along. Seriously though, Council wants to encourage a wider range of discussion about ideas and issues of interest to members and one way of doing this is through a letters page. If you are not a letter writer but would like to put forward an issue or idea on child care, please feel free to write it in an e-mail and send it to ukfice@hotmail.com

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THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF EDUCATIVE COMMUNITIIES (FICE) IS LOOKING FOR volunteers to take part in an International team of professional child-care workers being set up within the framework of the Project Educateurs sans Frontieres to intervene in emergency situations on behalf of children in distress

SCOPE Relief recipients: countries in crisis, due to civil war, natural disasters or social and economic emergencies Team International consisting of 15-20 professionals (care workers, social workers, psychologists, etc) under the leadership of a project co-ordinator Tasks Mobilising local resources in the fields of care and education Promoting communication with government agencies Co-ordinating co-operation with other NGO's Developing projects in the interest of the children concerned Duration Between three and six weeks; the team will not engage in emergency relief activities (food supplies, hygiene, medical care) Logistics FICE will make its team available to international organisations such as UNHCR, UNICEF and other bodies (EU, governments) for specific projects Costs Travel costs and the costs for room and board during an intervention will be covered by the project. The volunteer workers will not receive any remuneration

TRAINING Target group Members of international teams of care workers Where? Ecole superieurs d'educateurs sociaux in Echyrolles (Grenoble). France When? Monday 24 to Saturday 29 July 2000 Contents The work of international relief organisations (UNHCR, UNICEF, Red Cross) ethics of international co-operation, intervention methods Participants 15-20 professionals, selected by the national FICE members Trainers Experts in international relief co-operation Costs Participants must cover travel expenses and costs of accommodation (€180) themselves. If subsidies are obtained, these costs may be, at least partly, refunded

PROCEDURE Candidates All candidates interested in participating in the Project must fulfil the following criteria: Proficiency in the English language (training will be provided in English and English will be the working language in the team) Completed and professionally recognised training in the child care sector A minimum of three years of experience in child care work Applications Applications accompanied by a CV should be submitted by 1 March 2000 to: Schauminkai 101-103 D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany Information meeting Candidates with the required qualifications will be invited to an information meeting Training and Service The selected candidates will take part in the training programme and later on, in service interventions