Italy adopts IV National Plan for the protection of the rights and development of children and adolescents

On 10 August 2016 the Italian Council of Ministers approved the IV National action and intervention plan for the protection of the rights and development of children and adolescents, which will be valid for the two-year period 2016/2017.

Provided for in article 1(5) of decree 14 May 2007, No. 103, the Plan is focused on the emerging needs of children and adolescents, including the topics of major concern for the EU. The document aims at implementing measures coherently with Italy’s international duties and the concluding observations formulated by the UN Committee on the rights of the child during the country’s last periodic review held in 2011.

The Plan was jointly proposed by the Minister for work and social policies, Giuliano Poletti, and the Minister for regional affairs and autonomies, Enrico Costa. It is structured in four macro-areas of intervention: contrast to children and families’ poverty; socio-educational services for early childhood and quality of the education system; strategies and actions for educational and social integration; support to parenthood, integrated service system and sheltering system.

The National action and intervention plan for the protection of the rights and development of children and adolescents is adopted every two years to establish the priorities in the protection of the rights of minors.