La Casa di FA.T.A.

A new shelter for minors in difficult situations has been built in the province of Milan.

THE PROJECT

FA.T.A. (FAmiglie Temporanea Accoglienza – www.fataonlus.org) works with children and adolescents whom the Juvenile Court has removed from their families due to serious distress. The Association was founded in 1999 by foster families who have turned their direct experience in hetero-family foster care into a specialisation to be put at the service of children, adolescents and young adults. Family and specialisation are two key words in FA.T.A.’s work. Family because FA.T.A.’s objective is to welcome its guests in a serene and safe environment that reproduces the dynamics of a large family, where all members have their own needs, duties and space. The FA.T.A. facilities are located in residential contexts where many other families live. Guests experience the local area through schools, oratories, sports centres and leisure activities. Specialisation because FA.T.A. relies on the work of highly qualified staff from various professions (professional educators, psychologists, neuropsychiatrists, social workers, family mediators), who are able to take charge of their guests, support them in reworking their experiences and rebuilding emotional relationships. Children and young people arrive with a great burden on their shoulders; together with the adults they find in FA.T.A., they try to get rid of this enormous weight in order to fly again in the world.