Visit to foster home

A visit to fosterhome - Pontedera (Italy). This foster home for minors was founded in the city of  Pontedera in 1995. There are 10 places (4 twin bedrooms for long-term stay and 2 bedrooms for emergencies). Boys and girls resident here are between 12 and 18 years old and are either separated from their families as they were subjected to violence or foreign juvenile asylum-seekers.

Those separated from their families undergo a period of rehabilitation and can meet their parents during supervised visits.

The children who are completely alone are often supported by a legally authorized representative. As soon as children arrive at the foster home they are subjected to medical checks, then we deal with the paperwork and take care of the suitable type of learning process, which is chosen on a case-by-case basis, depending on the age of each child.

The program that each person should follow is determined by the Juvenile Court which, in turn, appoints a case worker who can check that the program is being followed.

The daily timetable is divided as follows: 15.00 homework, 17.00 / 19.30 free time, shower, dinner and group activities followed by a fixed menu meal (with the possibility to modify within a set time), the curfew is different depending on age. If the kids respect the daily schedule and achieve their goals, they can make requests that the team decide whether to approve or not.

Once the children reach the age of majority they stay in what are called "release apartments" where they have the opportunity to learn to live on their own; for this purpose those aged 17 and over, begin to help in the kitchen to then be able to cook various dishes once they live independently.

A very important role is played by the community service and. The trainees who accompany the children and are often seen by them as peers to confide in, even though disobedience and disrespectful behaviour never lack, but are obviously punished, just like any type of transgression.

As for the staff, the most important figures are the educator, the basic supervisor and the animator; all these members make up the team that meets once a week to give feedback on the children and to examine their digital diary that helps them remember everything.

It is obviously forbidden to smoke, use the mobile phone during meals, studying and after the curfew, to lend objects and clothes.

Although many see the foster home as a horrible place because of the massmedia influence, this is nothing but a big class composed of students of various age who don't always get along, but who love each other.