If you work with children and young people, do you consider yourself to be professional? If so, what profession? Do you consider that your profession is properly valued and recognised by society? If not, what should you do about it?This issue contains details of a couple of new ideas, and you have the chance to join them from the start.
NCB and FICE
On 18 January 2008, the NCB is running a day conference in London (see the advert) with a range of speakers both from Britain and abroad speaking about some of the ideas which we can pick up from continental Europe. Obviously – as witnessed in last month’s NCERCC conference – there is a lot of talk about social pedagogy at present, and it could offer a unifying concept to underpin the child care profession.
The conference is also intended to be the jumping off point for the creation of a National Section for England (and possibly Wales) of FICE, the largest international professional association for people working with children and young people. In continental Europe many of its members are involved in social pedagogy, and membership could offer links to learn.
History of Child Care
And now for something completely different. An email has been circulating (also in this issue) raising the question of the importance of the history of child care. Other professions have institutes to study their past, because there is a lot to learn. Child care has no such institute and there does not even seem to be a composite records of where all the archives are kept.
This email has already attracted a lot of interest; it is obviously a subject which is of widespread interest and concern. The immediate plan is to set up an email network, with a view to a meeting in 2008. If you are interested, join the network. It’s free.
Concern about the development of one’s profession includes both an interest in its past as well as its future, and in what others are doing so that one can learn. FICE and the Childcare History Network both offer great opportunities to people who see themselves as professionals in this field.