Semaines Internationales d’Etude pour l’Enfance Victime de la Guerre V (S.E.P.E.G.)
The second International Conference of S.E.P.E.G. was held in Zurich in September, 1947. Those of us who had attended the memorable first meeting immediately after the war, greeted each other as friends. S.E.P.E.G. had become a focus of interest and effort not only concerning the welfare of child victims of the war, but its principles could affect all our mental health work for children.
Delegates from the 15 countries represented gave reports on activities in their countries which showed the 1945 Resolutions being carried out in treatment, training, and the re-education of maladjusted and handicapped children. Child guidance work was being developed, institutional life adapted to meet the child’s need for a family background, and much thought given to residential treatment for delinquent boys and girls. We heard fascinating accounts of attempts to remedy the evil conditions into which children had been thrown by the war. With humour and a broad humanity, an Italian priest described his school for little vagabonds and black marketeers and asked our indulgence for a system of cash payments which were the only inducements which appealed to his pupils. Both French and Dutch experiments in residential training of delinquents were described, and the Austrian and German workers, who attended for the first time, expressed their relief at finding other countries were faced with the same problem of disorientated youth.
Amongst our visits of observation, one interesting experiment of international living must be mentioned. In 1946 the Pestalozzi Children’s Village was started at Trogen. At this Swiss mountain village it is planned to build some 18 chalets, each housing a “nation” of 16 children who will be brought up in their own culture yet share in activities with the rest of the international village. Already, when visited in 1947, it is a live, cheerful community, but only time will tell whether it is possible to give these war orphans a sufficiently established background to support them when they leave the “kinderdorf” at 18 years old. The Don Suisse, and contributions raised in Switzerland, have made this costly experiment possible.
The S.E.P.E.G. secretariat itself had to report two years of active work. In addition to serving as a centre for information, it had sent teams of specialists on request to give help in areas facing particular difficulties. Four study weeks were held in Italy, one in France (which led to the setting up of an Observation and Treatment centre) and one in Germany. Seven pucleus libraries were given to places of training where they were urgently needed. Athens was one of the towns which received selected books. Each year study I weeks have been held in Lausanne, based on the local Child Guidance Clinic, and they are to be continued. It has been decided to continue S.E.P.E.G. as a centre for promoting international study and an exchange of ideas, and to broaden its basis by adding members from other countries to the Swiss Committee. The theme is still mental health in childhood and treatment and re-education for the maladjusted. It is addressed to specialists in the field already dedicated to work for j children. A conference is planned on the care of the child deprived of family life.
Sharing experience and ideas with fellow workers from other countries, particularly when the meeting place is the sparkling land of Switzerland, is peculiarly stimulating and invigorating. The questions asked are a challenge, the information given often an inspiration. It seemed that, for people with a common task?work for the welfare of children?a real internationalism was possible. We could both expand in the atmosphere and feel ” abroad ” from ourselves. Returning to our own country we brought back experience which should enrich our work.
Robina S. Addis
N.B.?The National Association for Mental Health sent the following delegates to the above Conference : S.E.P.E.G. International Conference, Zurich, 1947: Prof. H. V. Dicks and Miss R. S. Addis. S.E.P.E.G. Study Weeks, Lausanne, 1947: Dr Frank Bodman, Miss Norah Gibbs, and Miss R. S. Addis.
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