FICE Congress 2004

1 It is proposed that the FICE Congress for 2004 is held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 6th - 9th September 2004, with the Scottish Institute of Residential Child Care (SIRCC) acting as host organisation, in association with Caring for Children (FICE-UK), the National Children's Bureau, Children in Wales and one or two other organisations invited to ensure representation of the whole of the United Kingdom. SIRCC has a wide range of contacts both in Scotland and internationally, and has hosted international events before.

2 Bookings have been made for accommodation at Strathclyde University, which is sited near to the city centre in Glasgow. Rooms for both small workshops and the main plenary sessions (to be held in the University's Baron Hall) have also been booked. All bookings are of course subject to confirmation. Initial discussions have also been held with a firm which specialises in conference organisation, called Meeting Makers, who have a good reputation for managing the administration of such events. Professor Andrew Kendrick, Professor of Residential Child Care at Strathclyde University, is prepared to chair the Scientific Committee for the Congress.

3 It is proposed that the theme will be "Creating a Place for Children". The concepts behind this choice were :

* focusing the Congress primarily on children and their perceptions, rather than on adults' views of what they need,
* acknowledging the importance of the setting and the place where things happen in human experience,
* seeing children within their context, relating to their environment and other groups in society,
* offering a theme which can be addressed at various levels, for example :
- children's place in society as a whole,
- children in various settings, including residential care, day care and other social care provision,
- children within their local communities,
- the creation of physical spaces for children in the design of the buildings they use,
- emotional space for children to be themselves and develop,
* keeping the Congress practice-based,
* selecting a theme which can be applied in any country and culture,
* picking a theme which will lend itself to the active participation of children and young people in the Congress, or in a linked event.

4 The Federal Council is asked :

4.1 to endorse this proposal or to make amendments as necessary,
4.2 to specify the requirements of FICE-International for meetings, including the General Assembly,

Future Congresses

5 It has been FICE practice to identify future Congress sites some time in advance, to allow for preliminary planning. It is understood that Finland, Estonia and perhaps other Baltic states may be interested in acting as hosts to the Congress in 2006. The Federal Council may wish to confirm this proposal, so that initial planning can be commenced at an early stage.

6 The Federal Council may also wish to identify a possible host for 2008. It is the wish of a number of childcare organisations in England, which are not in a position to mount the 2004 Congress, to offer to act as host at an early opportunity, and they would be prepared to put in a proposal for 2008. It is appreciated, however, that it is FICE's practice to vary the siting of its Congresses. An alternative option could be for the Federal Council to meet in England before long, and to link the meeting with an international conference on a specific theme such as services for refugee children.

David C. Lane
Vice-President
March 2002