FICE (Fédération Internationale des Communautés Educatives)

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

FICE:

recognises the individuality of children, young adults and their parents, and does not force them to conform to 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 adults unable to live at home;
seeks to find individual solutions to match the needs of each child or young adult;
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 adults, or work in support services such as staff training or the management of services;
supports national member organisations through the creation of contact networks;
organises major international congresses, usually every two years;
supports projects which involve international contacts between children, young adults and those who care for them, such as the Balkan Friendship Camps;
encourages international exchanges of workers and/or children and young adults;
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 adults;
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.