Promoting child-friendly multidisciplinary and interagency protocols at the local level: the experience in Naples

Defence for Children International Italia is an independent organization part of the Defence for Children International Movement and member of the International Social Service Network, working to defend and promote children’s rights. DCI Italia operates in the fields of rights, safeguarding and wellbeing, migration and justice through activities of research, capacity building, empowerment of your people, awareness raising and advocacy, cross-border case management involving children and implementation of projects and initiatives that can be replicated.

In the last years, DCI has been working in Italy to promote a multidisciplinary and inter-agency approach among public and private stakeholders as a key measure to prevent and safeguard children who are victims of violence and abuse, highlighting the necessity for a reform of the system in order to be compliant with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC), but also other regional standards, specifically the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention) as well as the EU Directive 2011/92/EU on combating the child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography and Directive 2012/29/EU establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime. 

There is growing international recognition of the paramount importance of child-friendly multidisciplinary and interagency (MDIA) services being made available for child victims and witnesses of violence, but also to prevent violence against children. 

Over the last four years, DCI Italy and the Italian Ministry of Justice have undertaken together an action-research process aimed at reinforcing capacities and skills among professionals and practitioners while analyzing strengths and opportunities of the child protection and justice systems and identifying areas where reform is necessary. 

This process revealed a systemic weakness of child-centred services for children who are victims of violence and abuse, in the child welfare and justice systems. The complexity of the legislative system, as well as the fragmented incorporation of European and international law, have led to an inconsistent implementation with significant gaps in the prevention, response and protection from revictimization of children who experience or any in risk of experience any form of violence. 

Together with the Ministry of Justice and the local Juvenile Prosecution Office, DCI Italy has undertaken a specific action in the city of Naples (Regione Campania) where the commitment by the relevant key authorities has succeeded to initiate a process for the development of a strong multidisciplinary and interagency network for the prevention and protection of child victims of crime.