The Project
Piccolo Sole was set up to arrange and manage "case famiglia", literally, "house families" - small residential units which take in children under the age of 18 who have been entrusted to the social services. Piccolo Sole offers a home to children from the ages of 6 to 12.
L'età dei bambini cui Piccolo Sole si prefigge di dare ospitalità è compresa fra i 6 ed i 12 anni.
Lazio Regional Law 41 of 12.12.2003 and Regional Council Resolution 1305 of 23.12.2003 state that "case famiglia" can house up to six children and keep two other spaces available for use in emergencies (for a total of 8 children). Alternatively, the facility can instead be a slightly larger "group apartment" which holds up to 8 children, usually teenagers subject to court orders, with two further spaces kept available for use in emergencies (for a total of 10 children). In both cases the unit may house children of different ages and sexes, as well as disabled children.
The home must have set characteristics, both as far as concerns the buildings themselves and in terms of the size and organisation of the interior. In particular, they must be located in structures which fulfil particular aesthetic and functional standards and which meet all the requirements necessary for residential buildings in terms of regulations governing construction, health and hygiene and safety in the workplace. They must be free from architectural barriers.
The inner areas of the "case famiglia" must be arranged in such a way as to ensure that, as a minimum, there is: (i) a lounge-living room of a suitable size for and decorated according to the needs of child residents, (ii) a fully working kitchen which meets all regulations in force on hygiene and health applicable to residential buildings, (iii) single, double or triple rooms of a minimum size respectively of 9 m², 14 m² and 20 m², (iv) one toilet facility for every four residents (and at least one per unit which is suitable for disabled use) and (v) a separate area for employees who live on-site or work the night shift.
According to the abovementioned Regional Law, the homes must be equipped with "common areas" (separate from the bedrooms) for group activities and socialising. This is to allow the children to feel they are in a safe, comfortable environment, similar to the family home.
The administration and management of the structure is handled by specialist staff. The laws and regulations provide detailed specifications regarding the roles to be covered and the working of the shifts. Specifically, each home must have a manager, who is present at the unit on a daily basis, for such a length of time as is deemed necessary for the community. This manager must have a graduate degree in a psychology, education or social sciences and have experience working in education. The manager must be supported by professional youth workers (two for each "case famiglia" and one for every 5 children in the group apartment), who must also have a degree. The professional youth workers should be of both sexes, in order to recreate the classic parental figures at the home.