Introduction. We will refer in particular to the list of issues : Part I - n 7 and n 12 Part III - n 1: (ii) points a, c, e.

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1 Brief summary from SOS Children s Villages in response to the list of Issues concerning additional and updated information related to the third and fourth combined periodic report of ITALY from the UN Committee Introduction SOS Villaggi dei Bambini Italia is part of the international umbrella organisation SOS Children s Villages International which has over 130 SOS Children s Villages national associations worldwide. SOS Villaggi dei Bambini Italia supports and promotes a range of family-based options for vulnerable children who cannot remain in the of their families. The organisation s commitment to ensuring quality alternative is complemented by family strengthening interventions which target children and families at risk of separation with the intention of building their capacities and empowering them towards self-reliance. We also advocate and take action for children as an independent non-governmental social development organisation. We respect varying religions and cultures. We work in the spirit of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and we promote these rights. Since April 2011 we have been part of the Italian National Observatory of Childhood and Adolescence and are also part of the Italian NGO Group for the CRC and the PIDIDA group, both committed for the promotion of children s rights in Italy. Referring to the list of issues you have addressed to the Italian Government, throughout this brief document, SOS Children s Villages Italy wishes to elaborate on issues relating to children in alternative in Italy and to underline some topics we think would be important to be discussed with the Italian Government delegation, during the next fifty-eight session. We will refer in particular to the list of issues : Part I - n 7 and n 12 Part III - n 1: (ii) points a, c, e. Part I - n 7 The lack data from Sicily is a real problem. In particular on residential the Region of Sicily does not collect any data, whilst on foster Sicily has, since 2007, collected data but only in terms of overall numbers (as other Regions of Italy); this means that data collected cannot be easily disaggregated in order to understand, the demographics of children in foster. Part I - n 12 In order to define, develop and implement minimum standards and criteria for alternative (residential services, family-type communities) it would be important for the Italian government to refer to the UN GUIDELINES FOR THE ALTERNATIVE CARE OF CHILDREN formally

2 welcomed by the UN General Assembly in November We think it is therefore extremely important for the UNCRC to ask the Italian Government how it plans to refer to the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children and to consult with civil society in the process of drafting and implementing national minimum standards for alternative. Considering the more updated data at , the de-institutionalisation of children has been almost completed. Year Institutes Nr of children placed 31 December 1999(a) December 2000(a) June 2003(b) November 2006(b) May 2007(b) January 2008(b) March 2009(b) 3 15 a) ISTAT (b) Centro nazionale di documentazione e analisi per l'infanzia e l'adolescenza Region 30/11/ /05/2007 Piemonte 0 0 Valle d'aosta 0 0 Lombardia 0 0 Provincia di Bolzano 0 0 Provincia di Trento 0 0 Veneto 0 0 Friuli-Venezia Giulia 0 0 Liguria 0 0 Emilia-Romagna 0 0 Toscana 0 0 Umbria 39 0 Marche 0 0 Lazio 8 0 Abruzzo 0 0 Molise 0 0 Campania 33 0 Puglia Basilicata Calabria Sicilia Sardegna

3 Part III n 1 (ii), points a, c, e The most recent official research (made by Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali 1 ) was published in March 2011 and refers to data up to 31/12/2008. This is the most up to date data we have on children in alternative in Italy. In order to make an analysis, we will compare this data at with a previous collection made in 1998 for residential and in 1999 for foster 2 (before the law 149/ 01) and in and (ii) Number of children deprived of a family environment and their placement 1999 or Foster (without Sicily) Residential TOTAL (without Sicily) (without Sicily) Quaderni della ricerca sociale nr 9 Bambini fuori dalla famiglia di origine Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali, marzo 2011, 2 I numeri italiani. Infanzia e adolescenza in cifre - Centro di documentazione e analisi per l infanzia e l adolescenza Quaderno 17 - dic Diritti in crescita, terzo-quarto rapporto alle NU sulla condizione dell infanzia e dell adolescenza in Italia Istituto degli Innocenti, gennaio Accogliere bambini, biografie, storie e famiglie, a cura di Valerio Belotti - Centro di documentazione e analisi per l infanzia e l adolescenza Quaderno 48 nov

4 Foster Care Residential Care Children out of family / In the last 10 years, the total number of children in alternative has grown: from around in 1999 to around in 2005 (but without Sicily) to around in Between 2007 and 2008 the total number of children has decreased (to around ). In particular the number of children in foster has grown (from around in 1999 to around in 2008) while the number of children in residential is quite stable (ca ). From 2007 to 2008 there has been a decrease in the number of children in foster of 9.8% but it is too early to talk about a negative trend. We have to wait the data of Between 2005 and 2007 the increase of children in foster is 34,3% and in residential services is 35,4%. Between 2007 and 2008 we have a decrease of 9,8% in foster families and 1,1% in residential, for a general decrease of children in alternative of 5,6%. Nationality of children in alternative For 2005 we have the data from the Government report to the UNCRC that reports that 22% of unaccompanied children amongst the total of children in alternative. We do not know how many foreign children we had in total apart from those noted as unaccompanied. For 2007 and 2008 the available data reports the same trend: Italian children are more placed in foster then in residential even if the difference is not so high; foreign children on the other hand are more in residential (63.4% in 2008) than in foster (36.6% in 2008). The data about Unaccompanied foreign minors is also interesting: while in 2007 most of them (93.5%) were in residential, in 2008 this percentage has decreased to 78.5% with a consequent amount of Unaccompanied foreign minors in foster (21.5%). This is due to new services in north and centre of Italy which have implemented family options for foreign minors. 4

5 In general the number of foreign minors is consistently increased in the last 10 years: from 5,6% in 1999 to 16,4% in Regional differences are strong: from situation as Toscana (35%), Emilia- Romagna (30%), Veneto (28%), Umbria (23%) to Campania (6,6%) and Sicilia (3,7%). % foster Italian 54,6% 45,4% Foreigners 37,6% 62,4% Unaccompanied foreign minors 6,5% 93,5% Nationality 31/12/ /12/2008 % residential % 52,9% 47,1% % 36,6% 63,4% % 21,5% 78,5% % % % Age of children in alternative For 2005 we only know that at 31/12/ % of children is more than 12 years old. From 31/12/2007 to 31/12/2008 for all the age classes is increased the percentage of placement in foster then in residential. In 10 years (from 1999 to 2008) the age classes more present are the teenagers and adolescents. It has decreased the percentage of 6-10 years old (from 33% to 27%) and of years old (from 20% to 27%). It has remained stable the percentage of little children (0-5 years old) from 15,5% in 1999 to 15,8% in Age 31/12/ /12/ ,8% 60,2% % 43,2% 56,8% % ,6% 42,4% % 62,8% 37,2% % ,7% 41,3% % 64,5% 35,5% % ,2% 46,8% % 58,4% 41,6% % ,4% 58,6% % 43,6% 56,4% % Sex of children in alternative There are not significant differences in the gender distribution: in general female children were 49% in 1999 and remain 48% in For both 2007 and 2008 the most relevant data is that female children are more commonly placed in foster rather than in residential. 5

6 Sex 31/12/ /12/2008 Male 49,5% 50,5% % 51,4% 48,6% % Female 56,7% 43,3% % 59,8% 40,2% % a. Children involuntary placed in foster At 31/12/ % of children in foster were involuntary placed. The percentage was already high in 1999 (75%) and in 2005 (70%) but it has become higher in This high percentage is due also to the fact that each voluntary placement in foster that lasts more than 2 years has to be approved by the juvenile court and so after 2 years it is registered as involuntary placement. We provide you data from 2005 to 2008 with a specific table on some Regions of Italy in Involuntary placed Voluntary placed Not indicated 31/12/ ,0% 30,0% 0,0% % 31/12/ ,7% 18,3% 1,0% % 31/12/ ,0% 20,0% 0,0% % Geographic location Involuntary placed 31/12/2007 Voluntary placed Not indicated Piemonte 73,7% 26,3% 0,0% % Valle d Aosta 87,8% 12,2% 0,0% % Lombardia 74,4% 18,9% 6,7% % Veneto 70,7% 29,3% 0,0% % Friuli Venezia Giulia 60,8% 39,2% 0,0% % Liguria 85,1% 14,9% 0,0% % Emilia-Romagna 75,3% 24,7% 0,0% % Molise % 0,0% 0,0% % Campania 79,8% 17,7% 2,5% % Puglia 83,8% 15,8% 0,4% % Basilicata % 0,0% 0,0% % Sicilia 77,1% 21,0% 1,9% % 6

7 c. Children in residential structures The number is rather stable: they were ca in 2005 (without Sicily), in 2007 and they are in 2008 (estimating Sicily). Geographic location 31/12/ /12/ /12/2008 Region Nr. Nr. Nr. Nr. children children children Nr. Fostere in Nr. Fostered in in Fostered d residential children residenti residenti children childre services al al n services services Piemonte Val d Aosta Lombardi a Provincia di Bolzano Provincia di Trento Veneto Friuli V. Giulia Liguria (4) Emilia- Romagna (2) (4) Toscana Umbria Marche Lazio (3) (3) (5) Abruzzo Molise Campania Puglia (6) (3) Basilicata Calabria Sicilia na na Sardegna 79 (1) TOTAL % of increase/decrease 34,3% 35,4% 34,8% -9,8% -1,1% -5,6% estimate na = not available (1) at (2) at (3) at (4) at (5) nr of Lazio are at 31/12/2009 (6) counted only children involuntary placed 7

8 e. Children in institutional and residential services in Sicily At 31/12/2008 we still do not have data. Sicily has only given the number of residential services but not the number of the children which is estimated to be Only on overall numbers in foster has Sicily provided data at 31/12/2008. Year Nr. fostered children Nr. children in residential services 31/12/2005 na na - 31/12/ /12/ na = not available estimate 8