World Forum in Hawaii, May, 2011 - representatives from Belize, Delfena Mitchell, Beverly Kovach (USA), Maria and Etienne Moinne (Ecuador), Laura Briley and Janet Gonzalez-Mena (USA), Valeria (Brazil) and Elsa Chahin (Mexico and USA).

Read "Parent and Children Centers: A Safe and Natural Environment for Children and Their Families" by Raed abu Hayyanehthe in Wonder the newsletter for the Nature Action Collaborative for Children.

Working Group for Rights of Children Without Families

The Working Group for Rights of Children Without Families was launched at the 2009 World Forum on Early Care and Education in Belfast, Ireland held June 16-19, 2009. The Working Group represents 10 countries who work in institutions. Representatives attending the conference came from El Salvador, Ecuador, Singapore, Nicaragua, France, Hungary, Belize, Mexico, Indonesia and the USA.

One of the goals of this newly formed group has materialized, as Delfena Mitchell, Director of Liberty Children's Home and the World Forum National Representative in Belize set up a meeting with the Ambassador of Belize, Nestor Mendez in Washington, D.C. on November 18. Beverly Kovach and Laura Briley met with Ambassador Mendezto to discuss how the Working Group for Rights of Children Without Families can assist in Belize.

National Association of the Education of Young Children Conference

Pikler/Lóczy Fund USA will have an exhibit at NAEYC (National Association of the Education of Young Children) conference in Washington, D.C., November 3-6, 2010.

The group was formed with the belief that all children should have the benefit of being raised by their birth parents. Yet, that is not always viable due to death of a parent or parents, abandonment, illness, abuse, natural disasters and war. It is paramount that each country be ready to provide children the best care if their fate is to lose their family and they are placed in a group care setting through no fault of their own. We want institutions to be successful in caring for these children by providing them with support and ongoing trainings. Read the Goals of the Working Group...