Collaborations and Partnerships

Department for Family Policies

Since it was established by Law no.  L. 451/97, and subsequently regulated by Presidential Decree no. 103/2007, the Institute has managed the activities of the National Centre for Documentation and Analysis on Childhood and Adolescence. Today, the Institute carries out the activities of the National Centre through three-year activity plans and according to the provisions of Law no.n. 8/2020 , and in agreement with the Department for Family Policies of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. The plans also include activities to support the application of Law no. L. 269/98  on the exploitation of prostitution, pornography and sex tourism involving minors as well as activities supporting family policies. The Centre, which was set up to support the National Observatory on Childhood and Adolescence, is responsible for collecting and organising the documentation produced in Italy on issues related to: a) children and adolescents, b) monitoring their condition, and c) the state of implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It also promotes publications, information campaigns and meetings on these issues.

Thanks to a specific cooperation agreement with the Department, the Institute also performs the National Centre’s information, promotion, consultancy, monitoring and technical support functions as provided for by Law no. L.285/1997.

Commission for Intercountry Adoption

Since the end of the 1990s, and on the basis of specific cooperation agreements, the Institute has been collaborating with the Commission for Intercountry Adoption in order to carry out analysis, monitoring, training, promotion and information activities in the fields of competence of the Commission under Law no. L.476/1998 and subsequent regulations set out in Presidential Decree no.DPR 108/2007 . These activities are currently performed by the Institute within the framework of the agreements governing relations with the Department for Family Policies of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers under Law no. L.8/2020 on the functions of the National Centre.

Ministry of Labour and Social Policies

The Institute has been working for over 20 years with this Ministry under specific agreements in order to provide technical and scientific assistance, documentation and statistical analysis, research and monitoring, and perform training and dissemination activities in relation to policies for the protection and promotion of children's rights. Today, these activities focus on supporting the implementation of the 2021-2023 National Plan of Interventions and Social Services and its two components – the 2021-2023 National Social Plan and the 2021-2023 National Plan of Interventions and Social Services to Fight Poverty – as well as the implementation of the Child Guarantee (that sets up a European guarantee for children). Furthermore, support is given for the implementation of specific actions of the PNRR, for national projects that are headed by the Ministry and for the implementation of law 149/01 on adoption and fostering.

Ombudsperson for Children and Adolescents

Since 2018, the Istituto degli Innocenti has been working with the Ombudsperson for Children and Adolescents to provide technical and scientific support for study, research, documentation, monitoring and exchange activities at national and international level.

Regional Government of Tuscany

The Regional Government of Tuscany is the main institutional interlocutor for the Institute (according to Law no. 43/2004) also because the Institute has been actively collaborating with this regional authority since 1990 when, with Regional Law no. 45/1990, it was tasked with the initial study, documentation and experimentation activities on social and educational services for children and families. The partnership was consolidated with Regional Law no. L.R. n. 31 del 2000 and the establishment of the Regional Documentation Centre for Childhood and Adolescence, whose activities are entrusted to the Institute. The Documentation Centre is part of the documentation system set out by Law no. 451/1997 that aims at fostering the relationship and exchange of information and data between the National Centre and the Regions.

The Institute has also been working for several years with the CO.RE.COM. (Regional Council of Communications) of the Regional Council of Tuscany to develop the activities of the Internet@minors Observatory through a series of well-structured training workshops, held in various locations throughout the region, to update teachers’ knowledge of media education and the use of media in educational contexts. This partnership is now working on the Digital Licence Project (Patentino digitale).

Other Regions

Over the last twenty years, the Institute has collaborated with various regional bodies such as the Regional Governments of Basilicata, Liguria, Molise, and Puglia. In 2018, a multi-year cooperation agreement was signed with IPAB Asilo Savoia to implement consultancy, monitoring and evaluating activities for the measures taken by the Regional Government of Lazio in the field of family and parenting support and, in particular, on autism. The Institute is currently working with the Regional Government of Abruzzo to support its promotional activities in favour of family fostering.

Municipality of Florence

Since 1997 the Institute has been collaborating with the Municipality of Florence thanks to a protocol of understanding to implement educational, socio-educational and cultural interventions and services for children, pre-adolescents and families. Today, agreements are in place to manage educational services, residential accommodation and child protection case conferences.

Municipality of Naples

Since 2015, there has been an active partnership with the Municipality of Naples to develop the system of socio-educational daytime and semi-residential services for children and families living in the Naples area. This work is done through training courses for social workers and educators and the development of an information and documentation system to monitor the activities of the services.

Other collaborations with local authorities and agencies

Over the years we have collaborated with municipalities and local agencies on policies and measures in the social and educational spheres, providing consultancy, technical assistance and training for the municipalities of Arezzo, Grosseto, Imperia, La Spezia, Massa Carrara, Nuoro, Pisa, Sassari and Savona, and the local agencies of the Mugello, Val di Cornia and Valle del Serchio areas.

Catholic University of Milan

Launched by the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan in conjunction with the Istituto degli Innocenti, the 2^nd level Master's Degree in Foster Care, Adoption and New Challenges in Family Care: Clinical, Social and Legal Aspects is now on its fifth edition.

UNICEF

Thanks to an agreement between the Italian Government and the United Nations Children's Fund (Law no. Legge 312/1988), in 1988 UNICEF created the Innocenti Office of Research based at the Institute.

In the same year, a cooperation agreement between UNICEF and the Institute was ratified. The agreement has been regularly renewed and is still in place. The Agreement is about the use of the Institute's premises by the UNICEF Office of Research and the development of joint activities to study and promote children's rights.

In 2001, the partnerhips between the Office of Research and the Istituto degli Innocenti led to the establishment of the Innocenti Library.