ICDP AGM

Oslo, August 30th  –  September 2nd,  2006

The AGM was opened by the Chairman of the ICDP foundation Karsten Hundeide. He stressed that this was an important AGM, which would discuss and decide fundamental changes in the foundation: separation of ICDP International Foundation from ICDP Norway, formation of ICDP Norway as an Association, change of the statutes of the ICDP International foundation in accordance with the new law in Norway, change of the administration of the international foundation, the election of the board for the Norwegian national organisation and election of the board of the international ICDP foundation.

Photo above shows voting by the international board which established the ICDP Norway Association with the following interim board members: Ingeborg Egebjerg, Marianne Fjetland, Tove Jeppson, Hilde Tornes, Mona Hannestad,  Marianne Eriksen and Henning Rye.

There were changes on the international board. Thanks were given to the members who stepped down: Helen Rønnaug Andresen, Wilbert Verheyen, Henning Rye, Markus Hoffberge, Pedro and Maria Teresa Mendes.

More voting took place/ Karsten Hundeide was re-elected as chair, with Santana Momade and Nicoletta Armstrong as board members. Helen Rønnaug Andresen will act as legal advisor. Anneli Waldau is the new representative from Sweden at annual general meetings.

Santana Momade (on the left) the new member of the international board, enjoying the incomparable setting of the Oslo fjord with retiring colleague Wilbert Verheyen,  during one of the AGM relaxed evenings.

Henning Rye (on the right), the vice chair of the old international board, gave special thanks to Markus Hoffberge (on the left) for his tireless efforts in running the administration  for over 15 years and for his generous gifts which helped sustain the development of ICDP.

After the more formal parts of the AGM, there were discussions concerning different aspects of ICDP future development, and the topics included, among other, the following:

-  Need for competence building and training: 1. Regular training on international levels - external training and 2. Expert training for existing trainers - internal training

- Integration of other information, such as health components for example, to the current programme.

- Improving fundraising locally and approaching internationally well known donor agencies

- Upgrading, adaptation and marketing of the ICDP concept  

- Relationships, responsibility and juridical aspects between the international ICDP foundation and associated branches or autonomous organizations

- Juridical protection of ICDP as an organization and programme

- It was agreed to change the name from "International Child Development Programmes" to "International Child Development Programme"

During the last two days of the meeting the focus was on sharing about project experience and the ICDP programme material.

 

The ICDP pilot project in the area of child protection:

This was discussed on the third day of the meeting as a new area of experience. This pilot project took place in Oslo, from January till June 2006 and was supported by the Ministry of Children and Family affairs. It was led by Janni Eriksen and Ingeborg Egebjerg in consultation with professor Henning Rye. Ten social workers from 5 offices were selected to be trained as ICDP group leaders applying the programme with groups of mothers. According to what was said in the evaluation sessions by the ICDP trained social workers their own attitudes towards the mothers in the field of child protection changed positively: "it was rewarding and exciting to be allowed to have a positive focus", "the experience created more sympathy and understanding for the situation, as well as a better insight of why things are difficult for these caregivers", "I think that the program gives golden opportunities to come to know the family in a completely different and better way".

 Summary of evaluations:

- This way of working establishes a different kind of contact and a new perspective on the parents.

- The simplicity of the program makes it possible to use it in relation to this group.

- Personal internalizing of the ICDP programme by the social worker was a precondition for establishing a good process in the groups of mothers.

- The mothers expressed how useful they found meeting others in same life situations to share experiences and feelings. Often they requested more meetings after the training.

- The fact that the social worker uses personal experiences as examples promotes a different kind of meeting with Child Protection.

- The mothers expressed that the space they were given to share and work with difficult emotional issues had an impact on the interaction with their children.

- The social workers reported that they have become aware of a new potential in the caregivers, because of focus of the programme on existing resources. They also describe that the mothers have more faith in their own importance and coping abilities.

 Challenges:

- It was felt that there should be 2 promoters in each group, and that the time required for preparation before the meeting and work after the meeting would be a total of 4 to 6 hours.

- Drop out from the group has to be expected and it does not seem to relate to lack of interest.

- The work in the groups has to be sensitive in a way that sustains the structure and at the same time allows for the parents needs to express themselves.

- With reference to selection of families: there should be an offer to participate, but time should be allocated for information sharing some motivational work. The composition of members in the group has to be considered. Differences in culture and age of children does not seem to present an obstacle.

- Since the group experiences involves complex life situations reflected in the group process itself, continuous follow up of the promoters is desirable.