July 2007

Editorial : A BIG Conference

By Merle Allsopp

One thousand three hundred delegates makes for a big conference - especially when the conference relates to a developing profession. But it is not only the number of delegates that makes a conference 'big', and the sixteenth biennial conference of South Africa's professional association for child and youth care workers can be described as 'big' for many reasons…

The participation of youth in the conference was 'big'. Over a hundred children and youth from community-based and residential child and youth care programs from every province in the country, joined by two groups of American youth were a part of conference, made this the biggest ever platform for youth participation in the child and youth care sector. And what the youth delegation contributed was 'big' - considered opinions on the Children's Amendment Bill, well-articulated and enthusiastically delivered to over a thousand conference delegates. This was no mean feat! And in the coming weeks youth delegates will share their stories and suggestions on the Bill at provincial hearings being held in four provinces. At-risk and vulnerable youth inputting into the country's legislative framework for children, based on their experiences…is certainly 'big'!

But at times the 'big' is found in the 'small'. 'Big' is Kubu Lesiba, a seventeen year old blind young person hiking to the top of the mountain along with his peers, and entire youth conference delegation celebrating in the reflected glory of his success. 'Big' is also a youth conference of this size with no behavioural 'incidents'.

'Big' was to be found in the quantity and quality of breakaway sessions. Fourty-eight sessions were presented, and the quality of the presentations was generally to be commended. Pleasingly, the bulk of the presentations were local, pointing to an increasing interest by South African practitioners in the discourse in the field. Keynote speaker Jack Phelan was big - through his teaching the notion of stages of professional development has indelibly 'entered the culture' of child and youth care work in South Africa.

And our international guests were 'big'. From FICE International President, Monika Niederle to Swedish, Zambian and Zimbabwean delegates, colleagues from abroad brought rich perspectives to deliberations and personal connections.

Perhaps, though, a most important 'big' for the South African child and youth care fraternity is to be found in the what was said in plenary presentations by key figures in the political arenas related to our field. The President of the South African Council for Social Service Professions, Marilyn Setlatentoa, and the Chairperson of the Professional Board for Child and Youth Care both reinforced the importance of finalizing regulations that will allow child and youth care workers to register with the statutory body.

Deputy Minister Swanson-Jacobs acknowledged the role of child and youth care workers in integrated service delivery and at prevention and early intervention levels. And Dr Maboeta spelled out this and other 'big' news in her presentation on the Children's Amendment Bill, where she explained that child and youth care workers were included in the legislation as service providers across all levels of intervention, and were thus defined in the legislation as integral role-players in the delivery of social services. As social service professionals we are costed into the Bill, and therefore are here to stay! She also noted that shelters had been included in the chapter on child and youth care centers, significantly impacting on the standards of services to this vulnerable group of children. 'Big' is experiencing the impact of having raised our collective voice to impact on a democratic process seminal to children's well-being and to our future as a profession.

What a BIG conference!