OMEP NewsLady Allen's Memorial Trust

April l lth, 1977 is the first anniversary of the death ofLady Allen of Hurtwood. Her life and work werecommemorated at a Memorial Meeting at the RoyalSociety of Arts last year. It was here that the idea of apermanent memorial was conceived.

Many people will remember Lady Allen for herdynamic contribution to the health and happiness ofchildren throughout the world, particularly the deprivedand handicapped. Her action was largely responsible forthe Curtis Report and the Children's Act, 1948. Twoorganisations founded by her were OMEP, WorldOrganisation for Early Childhood Education, andHAP A, Handicapped Adventure PlaygroundAssociation.

The U.K. Committee of OMEP and HAPA wish toestablish a Travel Scholarship to continue and expandher outstanding work. An Appeal Committee has beenformed by these two associations. We are launching anational and international appeal through the press andradio. Organisations and private individuals who wouldlike to subscribe are invited to send donations to Mr.Swinley, Director, Thomas Coram Foundation, 40Brunswick Square, London, W.C.!. Cheques to be madepayable to, "The Lady Allen Memorial Trust". LadyAllen was an enthusiastic and successful fund raiser forthe work she cared about. Let us see what we can do.

CorrespondenceDear Madam,

Professor Wall's article (Vol. 8 no. 2, 1976) written tomark National Playgroup Week in Britain, June 1976,emphasizes the constructive character of the movement,its vitality and initiative in providing social playexperiences for its under fives and adult educationalexperiences for its members. He notes the ability ofmembers to form responsible local committees capableof negotiating grants, insurance, leases etc. andemploying professional advisers. All of these aregrounds for congratulation. However, in noting hisemphasis on the inportance of the early years and theneed for aid for the first educator, the mother, underlinedby his reference to Burton White's work on thedeterminant role of maternal style of interaction fromthe seventh month, one does not think immediately ofenthusiastic Playgroup mothers. Their very successargues against putting them in this category: Walldescribes the movement as "a parents' self-help co­operative".

The irony is the better the Playgroups the wider thegap between those who can help themselves and thosewho need help. It is difficult to see how the PlaygroupMovement can meet the needs of children placed in thecare of Childminders, or those of one-parent families.

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Co-operation with UNICEF

OMEP's Liaison Committee on UNICEF cornpnsmgMinerva Jorn (Chairman), Myrtle Searles, AlexandraRose Zimmer and Amy Hostler (Coordinator) havewritten to the President of each National Committee ofOMEP urging them to initiate contact, where possiblewith the UNICEF National Committee in their countryand making the following suggestions: continuousexcnange of information, meeting of representatives ofthe two associations, exchange of observers at respectivecommittee meetings.

OMEP can participate and extend the work ofUNICEF by ensuring that the health and nutritionalaspects of child development will always find a placebeside that of emotional, social and intellectualdevelopment in any meeting, seminar and workshop; byactively supporting UNICEF's Universal Children'sDay and promoting the sale of UNICEF cards; and bymaking UNICEF's documents, e.g. The Study of theYoung Child. matter for discussion and implementationby their National Committee. They can also act asconsultant agencies to UNICEF Committees on areas oftheir special expertise such as training of child careworkers and programmes of parent education. NationalPresidents are urged to complete the questionnaire onOMEP-UNICEF co-operation sent out to them in 1976and to return it immediately.

Needy mothers cannot give the service required by theplaygroups neither can the Playgroups meet their kind ofneed.

It is the Day Nurseries and the full-time NurserySchools which provide priority places for children inneed. Collaboration with these parents is difficult but notimpossible if hours can be extended; experiments alongthese lines are in existence. It is the Childminders whocarry the brunt of the burden of the care of children ofworking mothers. But not being organized they have notreceived the kind of financial assistance made availableto the Playgroups. Some Local Authorities are movingin the direction of providing guidance and financialassistance.

The question that needs to be put is: "Can we affordto finance both the Playgroups and the Childminders, ifnot, who should be given priority?" If the earliest yearsare crucial for later learning it is the disadvantaged whowill suffer most and who urgently need assistance.Concentration on the Playgroup Movement mayinevitably widen the gap between the 'haves' and the'have-nets'.

Yours faithfully,Margaret Roberts.