Country Report on Italy for the Study on Member States' Policies for Children with Disabilities ______
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DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES POLICY DEPARTMENT C: CITIZENS' RIGHTS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS Country Report on Italy for the Study on Member States' Policies for Children with Disabilities STUDY Abstract This study looks at the situation of children with disabilities in Italy to identify the gaps in the legal frameworks and its implementation, the obstacles faced by children with disabilities and best practices. This country study is part of a larger study which analyses 18 Member States. Based on a comparative analysis of the country studies, the report ‘Study on Member States' Policies for Children with Disabilities’ provides some recommendations for EU action to enhance the situation of children with disabilities. PE 474.426 EN This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. AUTHOR(S) Emanuela Canetta Marilena Verbari Under the supervision of Milieu Ltd. (Belgium); Project Managers: Marta Ballesteros and Nathalie Meurens, e-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]; Milieu Ltd, 15 rue Blanche, B-1050, Brussels, Tel: +32 2 514 3601; Fax +32 2 514 3603; web address: http://www.milieu.be/. RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR Erika Schulze Policy Department C - Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs European Parliament B-1047 Brussels E-mail: [email protected] LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: EN Translation: IT ABOUT THE EDITOR To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to its newsletter please write to: [email protected] European Parliament, manuscript completed in June 2013. © European Union, Brussels, 2013. This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/studies DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorized, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy. 2 Country Report on Italy for the Study on Member States' Policies for Children with Disabilities ____________________________________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 INTRODUCTION 8 1. OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION AND CHALLENGES FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN ITALY 10 1.1. Introduction to the situation of children with disabilities in Italy 10 1.2. Review of issues and identification of possible regulatory gaps 11 2. OVERVIEW OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN ITALY 13 2.1. General overview of the national legal and institutional framework 13 2.2. Children with disabilities specific legal and institutional framework 15 2.2.1. Legal framework 15 2.2.2. Institutions and authorities 19 2.2.3. Definitions 22 3. LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND IMPLEMENTATION ASSESSMENT 23 3.1. Implementation of the provisions of the CRPD and CRC 23 3.1.1. Best interests of the child (Art. 3 CRC; Art. 7 CRPD) 23 3.1.2. Non-discrimination (Art. 2 CRC; Arts. 3 and 5 CRPD) 24 3.1.3. Evolving capacities of the child (Art. 5 CRC and Art. 3 CRPD) 25 3.1.4. The right to be heard/to participation (Art. 12 CRC; Arts. 7 and 30 CRPD) 26 3.1.5. Freedom from violence (Art. 19 CRC; Art. 16 CRPD) 28 3.1.6. Right to family life (Art. 9 CRC; Art. 23(3) CRPD) 30 3.1.7. Right to assistance (Art. 23 CRC; Arts. 23(5), 26 and 28 CRPD) 30 3.1.8. The right to education and inclusion (Art. 28 CRC; Art. 24 CRPD) 31 3.2. Specific issues faced by children with disabilities 32 3.2.1. Gender vulnerability 32 3.2.2. Violence 32 3.2.3. Children as vulnerable suspects 33 3.2.4. Inclusive education 35 3.2.5. Other particular issues faced by children with disabilities in Italy 35 3 Policy Department C: Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. ASSESSMENT OF THE PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RIGHTS AND LEGAL PRINCIPLES 37 4.1. Enforcement and reporting mechanisms 37 4.2. Gaps, problems and issues in the implementation 38 4.3. Best practices 39 4.4. Data and monitoring mechanisms 40 4.5. Recommendations given by the literature 41 5. CONCLUSIONS 43 REFERENCES 44 ANNEX 1 – SUMMARY TABLE 49 ANNEX 2 – STATISTICAL INFORMATION 59 ANNEX 3 – TYPOLOGY OF PERSONS REPORTING CASES ON DISCRIMINATION 60 ANNEX 4 - STUDY ON MEMBER STATES' POLICIES FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 61 ANNEX 5 - OVERVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES 72 4 Country Report on Italy for the Study on Member States' Policies for Children with Disabilities ____________________________________________________________________________________________ LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Art. Article Charter The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union CICLOPE Inter-ministerial Coordinating Committee for the Fight against Paedophilia CISIS Interregional Centre for IT, Geographical and Statistical Systems CJEU Court of Justice of the European Union CRC United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child CRPD United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CTS Scientific and Technical Committee DPI Disabled People International ECHR Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms EU European Union ISTAT Italian Statistic Institute TEU Treaty on the European Union TFEU Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union UN United Nations UNAR Ufficio Nazionale Antidiscriminazioni Razziali (National Office against Racial Discrimination) 5 Policy Department C: Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs ____________________________________________________________________________________________ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Italian legal framework provides a relatively good protection1 of the rights of children with disabilities, focusing mainly on inclusive education, adoption and assistance provided to children with disabilities and their families. Children with disabilities’ rights are also covered by the general provisions applying to children or to people with disabilities. Italy ratified the CRC in 1991 and the CRPD in 2009. The implementation of CRPD and CRC rights and principles is overall good: The protection of the best interests of the child is a fundamental principle of the legislation focusing on children; Equality is ensured both formally and in substance through preferential treatment arrangements; The evolving capacities of the child are taken into account in education and adoption; The Constitutional Court has declared Article 12 CRC on children’s participation self- executing; Some measures are in place to protect either children or people with disabilities against violence as well as their right to family life; Assistance in the form of, inter alia, economic support, personal care and consultancy facilities is provided to children, persons with disabilities and their families; The right to education and inclusion is well implemented, with 99,6% inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream education. A number of gaps, problems and challenges relating to children with disabilities have been identified including: Lack of economic resources; Absence of a national definition of the minimum level of assistance by social services; Inconsistent level of social protection throughout the country; Lack of legislation and policies on abuse of children with disabilities, especially for girls; Lack of promotion for participation in the decision making process; Lack of protection for children and adolescents with light mental disability; Lack of training of judicial and police authorities; Lack of data and information. A number of successful projects have been implemented to enhance the learning process of students with disabilities, to develop relationship and emotional responses to the issues of 1 This assessment is based the opinion of the authors based on the findings of the Italian report. 6 Country Report on Italy for the Study on Member States' Policies for Children with Disabilities ____________________________________________________________________________________________ children with disabilities, to promote the participation of children and adolescents in the decision-making process and to promote the creation of inclusive sport activities. The following measures would contribute to strengthening the rights of children with disabilities in Italy: consistent level of social protection throughout the country; adequate economic resources provided for families and schools; creation of mechanisms that ensure children’s participation in the decision-making processes. 7 Policy Department C: Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs ____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION In December 2010, the European Union (EU) became a party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In doing so, the EU recognised the challenges persons with disabilities face in securing their rights and highlighted the need for EU actions in that to be firmly on the agenda of the European Union and its Member States. Children with disabilities are already vulnerable because they are children. Their disability renders them particularly vulnerable. As such, they deserve specific safeguards and protection from the EU and its Member States. The key legal framework for EU action in this field is the EU Decision