The Foundation represents the legal framework in which the Pikler Institute functions and which ensures its financing. It is of private statute.
Its creation:
The idea of a Foundation was born during the meeting which was held on the initiative and under the control of the President of the Republic of Hungary, Mr. Arpad Göncz on March 25, 1997 in its residence. The conditions imposed upon having been fulfilled within the deadlines, partly thanks to the help of the financier George Soros, Hungarian origin, the negotiations to work out the Statutes started at the end of August 1997 between the Ministry concerned, the management of the Pikler Institute and our Association.
Once the project completed, the Statutes had to be approved by the Council of Ministers and to be recorded by the Courts, finally the International Foundation Emmi Pikler was born on April 22, 1998. After 52 years of operation as a state institution the Pikler Institute continues within the framework of the Foundation since June 22, 1998.
Its goals:
The goals of the Foundation defined in the Statutes are:
" to make known and to apply the universally recognized conception of the paediatricien Emmi Pikler , and within the framework of this task, to maintain and operate under the best conditions the Pikler Institute to ensure its principal activity of reception of the children, considered as "public utility", as well as research and training activities which are attached to it"
The statutes detail them afterward:
- the essential task of the Foundation is to ensure the high level care of the children who are entrusted to him and to facilitate their integration in families;
- to make known in Hungary and abroad the principles and the practice which are applied in the Institute :
- to take part in the training and the improvement of the specialists;
- to cooperate with any institution dealing with children of less than 6 years and to develop new methods and their evaluation;
- to help research and teaching;
- to cooperate with the foreign organizations which want to make known the ideas of Dr. Emmi Pikler or want to be inspired by them.
Its management:
The management of the International Foundation Emmi Pikler is ensured by a Board of directors, called " Kuratorium " comprising 9 members named by the Hungarian Authorities. Among these 9 members two are delegated by our Association.
The operation of the Foundation is controlled by an Control Committee of three members whose annual report is submitted to the Authorities of the country. Moreover, according to the legislation, a brief annual report of the financial situation must appear in one of the national daily newspapers.
Its financing:
The financing of the Foundation is ensured
- by the Hungarian State,
- by the own activity of the Foundation and
- by gifts to be collected in Hungary and in other countries.
The State places free at the disposal of the Foundation the buildings in which the Institute works since its creation (however the Foundation must ensure their maintenance); it allocates an amount by child identical to that given to all other children's home of the country included in the budget for the Child welfare. Since 2001 the budget of State, voted by the Parliament, foresee a specific additional financial support to the Foundation, revisable each year.
The own activities of the Foundation ensuring some income are:
- the teaching under the form of training-courses given as well to the specialists in the country as to foreigners (course in German, French, English and Spanish);
- the publishing and the sale of books, films, videos.
- the crib opened in 2006
- the groups parents-children
_ consulting and advising services for parents of young children
However the gifts represent the most important resources of the Foundation. Indeed during the years 1999 to 2002 the incomes - except gifts - covered between 30 and 35% of the expenses. Since this period the share of these incomes has increased, in 2007 they covered more then 50% of the expenses. These figures show the importance of the gifts.
Consequently the continuation of the fund raising remain more than necessary for the survival of the Foundation.