Fifteen Years of “Skill“: A Milanese Community Pioneering Care for children with Disabilities
For fifteen years, the association “skill,” born from the legacy of De Agostini and inspired by the spirit of Oliver Twist – a commitment to human progress and helping vulnerable children – has been forging a unique path in pediatric care. Beginning in 2011, “skill” established a groundbreaking partnership with the Municipality of Milan, a collaboration that continues today. This partnership birthed an innovative,experimental service: a community designed to support children with disabilities,prioritizing their right to health,well-being,and early,specialized rehabilitation without resorting to institutionalization.
The initial vision extended beyond direct care, aiming to create a network encompassing families, associations, and the wider community, fostering acceptance of diversity and providing crucial respite and emergency support. In 2012, the service gained recognition as an experimental model for the entire lombardy Region. Two years later, a formal decree (Measure 3) laid the groundwork for a more comprehensive framework, culminating in a 2019 resolution (DGR 1152/2019) that established “skill” as one of only four residences for minors with very serious disabilities across Lombardy.
The legislation clearly defines “very serious disability” as encompassing significant impairments in vital functions,motor skills,sensory perception,intellectual capacity,language,and behavior – conditions requiring continuous assistance. For many children, this residence provides long-term care, particularly for those facing family fragility or abandonment, while actively seeking potential adoptive or foster families.
However,”skill’s” impact extends beyond residential care. A core component of its work, recognized from its earliest days, is Relief – providing essential support to families navigating the intense demands of caring for a child with complex needs. This includes acknowledging the right of parents to moments of self-care,often sacrificed in the face of overwhelming responsibilities.
Over the past fifteen years, “skill” has served 62 children. Data reveals the breadth of their services: 21 children have benefited from Relief care, totaling 1022 days of support. Residential stays have averaged two years, with five children residing in the community for over five years, fifteen for between five and twelve months, and twenty-one for under twelve months, representing a spectrum of needs and durations of care.
Furthermore, “skill” has become adept at providing compassionate accompaniment during palliative care. Seven children have been supported,alongside their families,through terminal phases of illness,either during their time within the community or upon arrival with a known prognosis.
The success of “skill” is attributed to a unique synergy: the initiative of a dedicated association, philanthropic funding, and the collaborative spirit fostered with local parishes and the wider system. A significant contribution came from Wanda, whose legacy continues to provide vital support to the organization. These fifteen years represent a collection of untold stories, of vulnerable children, dedicated professionals, and invaluable volunteers – a testament to a system where vision and mission converge, transforming chaos into a hopeful future. A miracle unfolding in Milan?
