ClosedA family for a family

In the face of family problems reported to social services, often the child is removed from the family of origin. Not always, however, this proves to be an effective and positive solution for the good of the child. In cases where frailty is not serious, it is possible to work on the family as a whole, to activate those resources that, if detected and stimulated, can help to get it back to normal. This preventive and innovative approach is the basis for the “Family for a Family” project, which provides for a “light” non invasive intervention that allows families to strengthen themselves with the help of other voluntary families.

“A family for a family” is a project developed by the Paideia Foundation in Turin in partnership with public and private entities on many Italian territories. The aim of the project is to actively engage a solid family in support of another family that is facing a particularly critical period.

The affiliation allows the affiliated family to strengthen their resources and consolidate a network of useful links to overcome fragility. A defined period of time is set for the achievement of the agreed objectives in specific support paths tailored to the needs and problems of the family. The intervention helps prevent problems getting worse, helping parents find greater serenity and allowing children to stay in their family environment.

In the video, the spot-animation was created to promote the “Family for a Family” project.

The project trial in the province of Mantua was created in 2016 by the collaboration of the districts of Asola, Mantua, Suzzara and Viadana, in partnership with the Solidarity Educational association, the Archè cooperative and the Poiesis cooperative, with the financial support of Marcegaglia Foundation and the Mantua Community Foundation and the methodical support of the Paideia Foundation.

The testing phase lasted  approximately 24 months, during which, each trial with 12-hour side by side support,  ran for 12 months, following a first preparatory phase of project promotion, finding families and the training of the Operators and the families. The ultimate goal of experimentation was the introduction of the practice of family affiliation into the ordinary social policies of the local authorities.

In the Paideia Foundation’s video, there are the testimonials of the protagonists of the “Family for a Family” project experimented in Reggio Emilia, one of the success stories.