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SOCIAL SERVICES. Helping children with special needs
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In Italy there are 2.6 million people1 (approximately five per cent of the population) who suffer from different and more or less severe forms of disability. Although a law on disability2 was passed 17 years ago ensuring the right to equal opportunities, Italy is far behind other countries in research, support and assistance for the disabled. Here is a quick guide to the various services available for disabled children and their families.
General information
Comune di Roma - Sportello H. This new website created by the city’s V Department (social and health services) provides a guide to the services available for all disabled residents. It has updated and useful information about services, facilities and all kinds of problems related to disability. www.sportelloh.comune.roma.it.
Associazione pro-Disabili. This is a website specialising in legal information regarding various aspects of disability. www.associazioneprodisabili.it.
Italian schools
The right to education for the disabled is governed by law 104/92, which guarantees the inclusion of disabled children aged 0-3 in nursery school and the right to primary, secondary and university education. Integration into the classroom aims to develop children’s learning, communication, relationship and socialisation skills at all levels with the support of specialised teachers.
How to get learning support: the family of a disabled child must ask the local healthcare administration office (azienda sanitaria locale, ASL) for a functional diagnosis, a clinical diagnosis and a psychological and social evaluation to identify the child’s capabilities. The functional diagnosis must be given to the school at registration.
This should be followed in the first few months of school with a profile indicating the physical, mental, social and affective characteristics of the child. The profile highlights both the learning disabilities and the possibilities for the support and development of the child, in line with the cultural choices of the family.
After this process an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) should be written by the health professionals identified by the ASL, the teaching staff and, where possible, with the participation of an educational psychologist, in conjunction with the parents.
International schools
Hardly any of the international schools in Rome are equipped for disabled children. They lack facilities, don’t have lifts, don’t provide specialised support teachers and don’t have special needs programmes. Many of these schools also have long waiting lists, which makes admission for disabled children almost impossible. If you manage to get your child accepted, you often have to pay separately for the special services.
Leisure time
Associazione Museum O.N.L.U.S. The Museum Volunteers Association has always worked to promote Italy’s rich cultural heritage among the disabled, for whom access is still limited. With the support of the city authorities it organises tactile tours for the blind and partially sighted with the support of relief plans and labelling, Italian and English Braille texts, relief sketchbooks, explanatory audiotapes, and the multi-sensorial and multi-disciplinary perception of painting for the visually impaired, as well as activities for children with Down’s syndrome. There are also various workshops for children with other disabilities. A new course involving theatre and art starts Feb 2010. Via Ignazio Guidi 75, tel. 3381485361, www.assmuseum.it.
C.I.P. Lazio - Comitato Italiano Paralimpico Regionale Lazio. C.I.P. Lazio promotes, regulates and controls sport in Lazio for the disabled, who have equal rights to participate in any sporting activity. Visit the site www.ciplazio.it and click on “Elenco società” in the window on the left of the page for a detailed list of the main organisations in the region that provide sport for the disabled. Via delle Tre Fontane 1, tel. 065921507, www.ciplazio.it.
Transport
A special service for the blind and those with physical disabilities is run by Trambus and can be booked by calling the toll free number 800469540 Mon-Sat 06.00-21.00. The service runs Mon-Fri 08.00-13.00, but is not available at weekends. Free access to the service is for study, travel, work and rehabilitation therapy only and must be authorised by the V Department of the city council. To apply you need to go to Viale Manzoni 16, Mon-Fri 08.30-13.00; also Tues and Thurs 14.00-17.00. If you do not have your residence in Rome the cost of the service is ?23 each way for trips within the city. For further information tel. 0667105393, www.trambus.com, www.atac.roma.it.
Associations
AID - Associazione Italiana Dislessia. This association provides parents with training courses, self-help groups and helplines. It also provides professional and networking support for teachers and technicians. Via dei Lincei 93, helpline 345/4004132 Mon-Fri 16.00-19.00, www.dislessia.org/SezRoma/.
A.I.P.D - Associazione Italiana Persone Down. Via Fulcieri Paolucci de Calboli 54, tel. 0689016450, www.aipd-roma.it.
Centro Regionale S. Alessio Margherita di Savoia per i Ciechi. Viale Carlo Tommaso Odescalchi 38, tel. 800980162 or 065130181, www.santalessio.com.
E.N.S - Ente Nazionale Sordi. Piazzale A. Tosti 4, tel. 0651607361, www.silentpoint-ensroma.it.
Lega del Filo d’Oro. Lega del Filo d’Oro provides assistance, education, rehabilitation and re-integration of people who are deafblind and have multisensory deficits. Via Giulietti 3, tel. 065755055, www.legadelfilodoro.it.
MPDF - Mason Perkins Fund for the Deaf. Via Nomentana 56, tel. 0644234511, www.mpdf.it.
Rome Independent Living Centre - Centro per l’Autonomia. This centre promotes the fundamental rights and dignity of all disabled people and their families. Via Giuseppe Cerbara 20, tel. 0651604253, www.centroperlautonomia.it.
U.I.C. - Unione Italiana Ciechi. Via Mentana 2/b, tel. 0644361173, 064469321, 800705705, www.uiciechi.it.
1Source: national statistics institute (ISTAT), Condizioni di salute e ricorso ai servizi sanitari, www.istat.it/strumenti/rispondenti/indagini/famiglia_societa/salute.
2Legge 5 febbraio 1992 n. 104, Legge-quadro per l’assistenza, l’integrazione sociale e i diritti delle persone handicappate.
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