LISTENING AND COUNSELING SERVICE PROJECT

The Istituto Farlottine social cooperative was established “to pursue the general interests of the community, human development, and social inclusion. It aims to achieve these objectives for the benefit of its members and others by providing educational, training, school, and care services, together with related or complementary activities, with particular attention to socially disadvantaged individuals and families.” (Articles of Association, Article 2, paragraph 1)

Istituto Farlottine provides a wide range of educational services, welcoming children of all ages, from as young as one year old. It accommodates several levels of schooling: preschool, primary school, and lower secondary school, all three state-recognized private schools that together form Scuola San Domenico. These extensive educational services are distinguished by their particular care for children and families facing difficulties, following the example of Assunta Viscardi, a remarkable woman from Bologna who devoted her entire life to marginalized children and their families.

Within this framework, the Institute seeks to help families fully fulfill their role as the “fundamental group unit of society” (Article 16, paragraph 3, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), in the light of the biblical teaching: “God created humankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.’” (Genesis 1:27–28)

Project title 

PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN FACING DIFFICULTIES.

Project beneficiaries

Families with children facing difficulties.

Project description

The project provides meetings and consultations with an experienced psychologist to support parents and teachers who encounter difficulties and uncertainty in raising and educating children with particular challenges.

Meetings take place at Istituto Farlottine – Scuola San Domenico and may involve one or both parents or, depending on the circumstances, teachers, sometimes together with the parents. The project is based on the understanding that, without appropriate and timely attention, children’s difficulties can have serious consequences for their well-being.

Parents: families can seek the psychologist’s help in addressing difficulties they may encounter in raising their children. Together, they can recognize and understand their children’s challenges and identify the most suitable strategies for addressing them.

Sessions with the psychologist can also benefit the couple’s relationship. Addressing a problem together and agreeing on shared strategies with the help of an outside mediator can strengthen the bond between partners and help resolve any conflicts that have arisen between them and that are, or could be, having a negative impact on their children. Ultimately, working to overcome these conflicts benefits the children themselves.

Teachers: teachers can request a meeting with the psychologist to discuss concerns involving individual pupils. These discussions help identify the most suitable approaches to the problem and improve relationships with both the child and the parents. Speaking with an outside professional can also be extremely helpful to teachers in appropriately addressing and managing the effects that a difficult or conflictual situation may have on the class as a whole.

Teachers and parents: joint meetings involving both parents and teachers are often useful, allowing them to coordinate their efforts as effectively as possible to help the child facing difficulties.

Project aims

The project aims to support children facing particular difficulties by guiding the adults—parents and teachers—who are most directly involved in their upbringing and education. It also offers support in complex family situations that may negatively affect children, providing mediation between parents.

The aim is therefore to support families who would otherwise be unable to access specialist help because of financial difficulties. Indeed, the families most in need of support are often also those experiencing the greatest financial hardship.

Project timeline, implementation, and location

The project provides approximately 5 hours of meetings per month, through July 2018.

Expected outcomes and benefits

Consultations with the psychologist should ultimately help children feel more at ease, improve their relationships with classmates and their academic performance, and help create a calmer family environment.

Project costs

The project is provided free of charge by Fondazione Irma Romagnoli thanks to the services of systemic psychotherapist Dr. Daniela Poggioli, who also offers her time without payment.