Letter from FICE International President

Every two years FICE is having an International Congress on Children and Child Care. FICE stands for children without or with inadequate parental care, children with special needs and children at risk. Up to now the conference venues were mostly in Europe, with one in North America. Therefore it is a special pleasure for me to announce a FICE International Conference in Africa, on a continent where there has not been such a conference before. I did not hesitate even for a moment when our colleagues from NACCW, which is a FICE South Africa member, offered me - in Sarajevo, where we had our 29th Congress in 2006 - to host one of our next congresses. But you can be sure; this does not at all mean that our colleagues in South Africa don't have enough experience in organising congresses. I know and I witnessed their special conferences, and when I say special I really mean "special". Our colleagues are used to organise African Congresses for up to 1 000 participants. Once you have been part of such an African Congress you will never forget this special experience of knowledgesharing and celebrating and dancing! You will never forget these very special people, ready to share everything with you, eager for more knowledge and new experiences. "Celebrating the courage to care in a diverse world" - a nearly perfect theme to deal with in South Africa, where people managed to overcome Apartheid. Participants and speakers from all over the world are expected to come to Capetown, one of the most beautiful cities of the world. We'd like to count you as one of these participants. I'm sure, "Celebrating the courage to care in a diverse world" will be a congress you'll always keep in your mind as one of the most unique experiences in your life! Monika Niederle
FICE - INTERNATIONAL

President

FICE South Africa is proud to announce that eminent child and youth care worker, Dr Thom Garfat has been selected as the keynote speaker for the first FICE International Congress to be held on the continent of Africa. A regular visitor to South Africa, Dr Garfat will present the address the congress theme "Celebrating the Courage to Care in a Diverse World." Thom Garfat, PhD has been involved with troubled children and their families, and the staff who work with them for almost forty years as a practitioner, supervisor, director, teacher, trainer, consultant and writer. Since beginning as a child and youth care worker in an emergency program for adolescents, he has been the Director of a community based family counseling program, taught Child Care and family work at the University of Victoria, was the Director of Treatment for one of Canada's largest child and youth care agencies. He has developed residential and non-residential programs; created training programs for professionals working with children and families; helped organizations and governments to conceptualize, develop and implement programs and services; provided training and consultation in direct child care and family work and is the author of over a hundred professional articles and chapters about working with troubled children and their families. Currently Thom has a private consultation and training practice, Transform Action. He is also the co- editor of Relational Child and Youth Care Practice, and co-founder and editor of CYC-NET an international discussion list and CYC-Online, an electronic journal for Child and Youth Care professionals. Thom is the recipient of the Spirit of Crazy

Horse award from Reclaiming Youth International for his global influence on Child and Youth Care as well as a number of other recognitions. Thom travels nationally and internationally providing consultation and training for agencies and organizations that work with troubled youth and families. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences, and is the ideal candidate to draw together people who work with children from six different continents - here on African soil.