Aims and Objectives

FICE's main aim is to promote child and youth care throughout the world.

FICE:

• recognises the individuality of children, young people and their parents, and does not seek to force them to conform with pre-determined norms.
• supports the family as the basic social structure for the upbringing of children.
• advocates the highest quality of care and education for children and young people unable to live at home.
• seeks to find individual solutions to match the needs of each child or young person.
• encourages the ongoing development of services for children through research and theoretical innovation.
• bases its work on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• observes strict political and religious neutrality.
• values diversity and rejects all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political opinion or social origin.

In order to achieve its aims, FICE-International:

• works through national organisations whose members are engaged in providing services for children and young people, or work in support services such as staff training or the management of services.
• supports national member organisations through the creation of networks of contacts.
• organises major international Congresses, usually every two years.
• supports projects which involve international contacts between children, young people and those who care for them, such as the Balkan Friendship Camps.
• encourages international exchanges of workers and/or children and young people.
• provides the Professional Exchange Programme for experienced workers.
• organises international seminars, expert workshops and working parties on issues concerned with services for children and young people.
• consults with UNESCO, the European Union, the Council of Europe, ECOSOC and other international bodies.
• provides information and the opportunity for networking through its website.
• disseminates new ideas and research findings through its publications.

The organisations which are FICE's National Members

• bring together various professions concerned with the welfare and education of children and young people regardless of status and other interests.
• examine and analyse problems and other issues concerning children and young people.
• develop new initiatives to meet the needs of children and young people.
• educate the public and those in positions of power and influence in the country about the needs of children and young people.
• support individual and organisational members, encouraging them to set high standards of practice.
• encourage the creation of supportive networks of members.
• organise seminars, conferences, educational trips and professional training.
• assist other FICE National Members (and others) at times of crisis and natural disasters.
• publish books, journals, magazines and other materials.
• are open to individuals and / or organisations (including agencies providing services, colleges offering professional training. local authorities and other associations) concerned about the welfare and social education of children and young people to join.
• elect their officers through democratic processes.

Note: The National Members of FICE are very varied and they are not all involved in all the above activities.