International Foster Care Organisation

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International Foster Care Organisation
Helping to make the right of every child to grow
up in a family a reality
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IFCO Foster Care in an International
ContextSpeaker John Hulskamp

• Board member Treasurer, IFCO
• Sole caregiver with a permanent care placement
• Retired from RMIT with senior lectureship in
  computer systems engineering now with the time
  to devote to foster care issues
• Interest in foster care issues, particularly in a
  world-wide perspective

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IFCO Who we are

• IFCO is the only international organisation
  devoted solely to the promotion and support of
  Foster Care
• A network for the exchange of information,
  knowledge, training and experience in Foster Care
• A voluntary organisation supported by a small
  staff based in The Hague
• Members in more than 60 countries all over the
  world
• Enriched by a large youth component

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IFCO Who we are

• United Nations Recognition
• Member of NGO Group of the UN Committee on the
  Rights of the Child
• Member of the NGO Group on Children Without
  Parental Care
• NGO with Special Consultative Status with the
  Economic and Social Council of the United Nations

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The History of IFCO

• 1979 was the International Year of the Child
• An International Conference on Foster Care was
  organised in England, revealing the need for
  exchanges of knowledge, experiences and practices
  on foster care
• IFCO was created in 1981 to fulfil this need

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History of IFCO Voice to the Young People

• From the very beginning, IFCO gave a significant
  voice to young people.
• IFCO counts numerous youth members, several Youth
  Board Members, a Youth Committee.
• IFCO encourages the participation of children and
  young people in care in each of its projects.
• This is what makes IFCO so special.

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Meet IFCO Youth!

• Miko Judith Emmanuel

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IFCO Youth Magazine
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A Voluntary Organisation

• IFCO includes members and volunteers worldwide
• IFCOs Board and Committee Members are
  volunteers, devoting time and skills for the
  benefit of children and young people in foster
  care
• The network is supported by a small staff based
  in the coordinating office in The Hague

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Meet IFCO Board
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Introducing the New IFCO Office

• Thanks to the supportive help of The Hague City
  Council Gemeente Den Haag

Bep working at the directorial desk!
Maria and Anggreini in the small office
Maria in the Meeting Room
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... In The International City of The Hague

• City of Peace, City of Rights, and a City for
  Children

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IFCOs Mission

• IFCOs main mission is to make the Right of every
  child to grow up in a family a reality
• IFCOs mission and actions are based on the UN
  Convention on the Rights of the Child.

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IFCOs Mission Statement

• IFCO promotes family-based solutions for
  out-of-home children in accordance with the
  United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
  Child by enabling the exchange of information
  among persons and organisations of different
  nations, organising international conferences and
  seminars, consultations, networking, publications
  and the like.
• (Approved at the IFCO AGM, 11/2004 Prague)

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...For The Right of the Child to Grow Up in a
Family Environment.
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IFCOs Values

• IFCO bases its work on the UN Convention on the
  Rights of the Child
• ... Stating that the child has the right to grow
  up in a family environment
• We believe that whenever possible children should
  grow up with their own parents or extended family

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IFCOs Values

• When this is not possible, a substitute
  family-based solution should always prevail over
  other out-of-home forms of care
• We believe that care should be child and family
  focused
• And that diversity should be respected and valued

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IFCOs Values

• IFCO is not involved in international adoption or
  fostering
• We believe the foster family should be as close
  to the family of origin as possible

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Respect for Identity and Origins
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IFCOs Core Values

• IFCO believes that foster care must be an
  inclusive team-work effort between carers, social
  workers, the placing agency, the birth parents,
  the child or young person, and others who
  contribute to the childs welfare.

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IFCOs Core Values

• Respect for diversity is essential
• Experience must be valued
• Individual and organisational strengths should be
  blended
• The organisation should be open to new ideas
• The Board has a collective responsibility for
  stewardship

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IFCOs Core Values

• Care should be child-centered and family-focused.

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Introducing IFCOs actions

• IFCO promotes family-based solutions for out-of
  home children based on the UNCRC by
• Enabling the exchange of information among
  persons and organisations from different
  countries
• The organising of international conferences and
  training seminars
• Consultancy
• Networking
• Publications
• Assistance

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Networking

• Latin America 10 countries with 127 members for
  the RELAF network, coordinated from Argentina.
• East-East Network all countries in Central and
  Eastern Europe, Baltic and most CIS states,
  coordinated from Slovakia
• Asia an Asian Network is under development,
  coordinated from The Philippines
• Our Networks are coordinated locally, with the
  support from the Office

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IFCOs Networks

• Latin America and the East-East Networks

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Conferences and Training

• Conferences Biennial World Conferences 2007
  Hamilton, New Zealand
• 2005 Madison, Wisconsin, USA
• Regional Conferences 2004 Prague, Czech
  Republic
• Training Seminars 2006 Bratislava, Slovakia
• 2004 Romania, Surinam, Korea

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What does an IFCO Conference Look Like?

• Prague Conference

Prague Conference
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A History of IFCOs Conferences

• 2007 Hamilton, New Zealand
• 2006 Bratislava, Slovakia
• 2005 Madison, Wisconsin, USA
• 2004 Prague, Czech Republic
• 2003 La Plata, Argentina
• 2003 Panamaribo, Surinam
• 2002 Tampere, Finland

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IFCOs Conferences Madison 2005
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A History of IFCOs Conferences

• 2001 Velhoven, The Netherlands
• 2000 Cork, Ireland
• 1999 Melbourne, Australia
• 1998 Budapest, Hungary
• 1998 Manila, The Philippines
• 1997 Vancouver, Canada
• 1996 Los Angeles, California, USA

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A History of IFCOs Conferences

• 1995 Bergen, Norway
• 1994 Berlin, Germany
• 1993 Dublin, Ireland
• 1992 Gent, Belgium
• 1991 Jonkoping, Sweden
• 1990 Athens, Greece
• 1989 Michigan, USA

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A History of IFCOs Conferences

• 1988 Lunteren, The Netherlands
• 1987 Leeds, United Kingdom
• 1985 Christchurch, New Zealand
• 1983 Leuven, Belgium
• 1982 Beekse Bergen, The Netherlands
• 1981 Slagharen, The Netherlands
• 1979 Oxford, United Kingdom

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Forthcoming Conferences Hamilton, New Zealand,
2007

• IFCO XV Biennial International Foster
  Care Conference
• Waikato University
• Hamilton, New Zealand
• 11 - 16 February, 2007
• www.ifconz07.org.nz
• Fostering Our Taonga - Children are our
  treasure as are those who care for them

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Recent Training Seminar

• BRATISLAVA, Slovak Republic June 4-7, 2006
• The IFCO Training Seminar brought together
  people from across the region and beyond to share
  and learn together in a busy program of plenary
  and workshop sessions.
• http//bratislava.ifco.info/

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Consultancy and Assistance

• IFCO provides advice to professional
  organisations on how to develop foster care
• IFCO also advises Foster Carers and Youth on how
  to set up foster care associations, improve
  services and develop advocacy for foster carers
  and youth in care rights

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Consultancy and Assistance

• An example of IFCOs consultancy and assistance
  supporting foster care in Bulgaria, and
  delivering the translation of Stakeholders in
  Foster Care to our partners.

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IFCOs Publications

• IFCO publishes a quarterly magazine The IFCO
  Informer
• The IFCO Informers provide IFCO members with
  information about IFCO, but also offer research
  articles, stories, updates on projects, events on
  foster care and news on the development of foster
  care around the world.

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The IFCO Informer
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IFCOs Publications

• IFCO has published an international comparative
  study on foster care around the world
  Stakeholders in Foster CareAlready available in
  English, Spanish, Bulgarian and Ukrainian.
  Russian and Romanian to come.

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Stakeholders in foster care
This publication is an international comparative
study, which gives an overview of foster care
history, legislations, actors, practices and
developments all over the world. Written by
Shanti George and Nico van Oudenhoven, an IFCO
publication, in partnership with ICDI.
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IFCO Projects

• IFCO initiates projects in cooperation with local
  organisations to develop foster care where it
  does not exist,
• IFCO cooperates with other national and
  international organisations in projects to
  improve existing foster care services,
• IFCO responds to requests for assistance from all
  over the world.

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IFCO Projects

• Our working philosophy
• Fidelity to UNCRCs basic principles
• Good communication
• Providing highest possible quality
• Consultation with all parties involved
• Regular reporting
• Social action methodology
• Capacity building tailored-to-the needs
  intervention
• Sustainability

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IFCO Projects

• Network building in the Caribbean Region to
  promote and improve Foster Care in the region

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IFCO Projects

• Participation in de-institutionalisation in
  Romania and Bulgaria to end the practice of
  keeping young children and babies in institutions

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IFCO Projects

• Support of child-headed households in Africa
  networking from Kenya

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IFCO Projects

• ... To help these orphaned or abandoned babies
  and children

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IFCO Projects DEFT
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IFCO Projects DEFT

• Development of a common European foster care
  training program
• IFCO participates in designing training for
  foster carers and social workers in family
  placement over Europe
• Such training aims at promoting high-quality
  standards and maintaining the rights of the child
  in child protection services

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Quality4Children Project
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Quality4Children Project

• Development of standards for out-of-home care
  based on good practices.
• Initiative of FICE, IFCO and SOS Children's
  Villages.
• National teams in 32 countries in Europe
• Cooperation with UNICEF and ISS
• Youth participation at every stage of the project
• The project runs from 2004 (inception) until 2007
  (quality standards defined and disseminated)

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Quality4Children Project

• One Standard Defined
• The child participates in the decision making
  process

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More on IFCO.

• There is a lot more to learn about IFCO.
• More projects and action campaigns
• New countries joining
• On-going development
• A vision towards a better future for children
  separated from their family,
• An enduring desire to support foster care and the
  best interest of the child

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IFCOs needs Anyone can give a hand

• What IFCO needs
• Members involved worldwide, so Join Us!
• Partners and associates for projects and
  development
• Funding and support
• Volunteers commitment that has always made IFCO
  a unique international organisation

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IFCOs needs

• You can also give a hand...
• By becoming a member of IFCO...
• And you will be making a positive contribution to
  making the right of every child to live in a
  family a reality

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Thank you, and Enjoy the Party!