How do our Italian colleagues welcome children and teenagers with high-risk behaviour, some of whom have criminal convictions or diagnosed mental health conditions? How do they use the experience of living together as a therapeutic community to support positive change? How can we, as professionals, understand our own emotional responses when working with these young people and use them as a resource for support? And how can we set boundaries and rules without relying on threats or punishment?

These were some of the key topics discussed by social educators from SAPI's social services in Sofia, Shumen and Vidin together with social educators and psychologists from the Italian organisation Il Fiore del Deserto during a study visit to two residential centres for adolescents in Rome, where they explored the Italian model of care and intervention.

The first centre provides residential care for girls aged 12 to 18. They are referred either by the social services or by court order as part of a probation measure. Although the service is similar to a family-type residential care home, it is provided in a large family house designed to create a warm, home-like environment.

The second centre accommodates both girls and boys between the ages of 12 and 18 through similar referral pathways. In addition to referrals from the social welfare and justice systems, young people may also be admitted through the healthcare system, as many of them have diagnosed mental health conditions and require comprehensive therapeutic support.

Both residential homes are managed by Il Fiore del Deserto ("Desert Flower"). Every case is handled through close cooperation with social services, the courts, municipalities, healthcare institutions and other non-governmental organisations, while several activities are implemented jointly with partner associations.

The model is based on building a psychosocial and psychotherapeutic community in which the relationships between professionals and young people become a key therapeutic resource. Support includes structured therapeutic group activities, everyday psychosocial work and individual psychotherapy for every child.

Prof. Neli Petrova, a member of the Bulgarian delegation, commented:

"Among the practices that impressed us most were the strong emphasis on fostering a sense of belonging, establishing clear boundaries and structure in a firm yet non-judgemental way, and focusing on understanding the underlying reasons behind each young person's behaviour. The meetings were both inspiring and thought-provoking, generating many ideas that we look forward to applying in our own work. We are now looking forward to welcoming our Italian colleagues to Bulgaria at the end of July."

The visit to Rome, held from 23 to 25 June, was the first mobility activity in Italy within the E.S.P.E.C.I.A.L. – Enhancing Specialised Professional Educators Competences for Inclusion, Abilities and Skills project, funded by the Erasmus+ Programme. The project is coordinated by Fondazione Luigi Quondamatteo, with Institute for Social Activities and Practices (SAPI) and Il Fiore del Deserto as project partners.

The mobility aims to strengthen both the professional competences of the participants and the partnership between the organisations through dialogue, mutual learning and shared professional reflection.

The project will continue in July with the second mobility, which will take place in Bulgaria, where the partners will build on the knowledge gained and further deepen their cooperation.