They say that being a parent is the most difficult job: questions, doubts come up every day when you accompany your children in the various stages of growth in new contexts wherever you live.

The commitment becomes even more demanding when your child come from afar through International Adoption. The project “Families with a Heart” tries to offer concrete and innovative answers to the need to be prepared and to confront yourself with other families who are living the same experience . This way gives couples the chance to feel less alone and to feel supported in the delicate phase when a child who comes from another country becomes part of a new family.

This project initiated in 2014 in collaboration with the association  A Family for Everyone non-profit of Ascoli Piceno and carried out by New Families Action non-profit, with the objective to promote adoption by strengthening the network between families and between families and institutions.

The project also started in 2016 in Campania with the contribution of the Foundation Bank of Naples, and in 2017 it arrived in Calabria. Through the Meridional Crowd Funding of the foundation  Bank of Naples, it has been possible to raise awareness of the project thanks to several solidarity events for example those organized by the Non-profit association- Pietra Viva(Living Stone ?)of Casavatore Napoli, a partner of the project, and of the contribution of many supporters who believe in the potential of this constructive way.

There are many activities proposed: from instructive encounters to psychological counselling,  

thematic workshops for children and young people, conducted by a psychologist and a family psychotherapist and by two childcare professionals to promote listening to one’s deepest emotions in a play atmosphere with emotional involvement , including aperitifs and light hearted socialising.

“It is a fundamental experience to be more aware parents, to learn to question yourself and to find your personal and family way”,was the comment of a couple on the facebook page which allows the families to connect on the net and to be informed on appointments and what’s new.

The news of events and free instructive encounters in the region has been spread by word of mouth

and the number of participants has increased monthly at the Nazareth Institute in the Vomero neighbourhood of Naples which is easily reached from Campania.

There are 45 families, with about 50 children from 2 to 16 years, involved at the moment in various ways ;some of them are waiting to adopt .

“We have the chance to share our experiences and the children can play together and share emotions. These encounters are special for us and for our children”, this is another impression on social network.

Someone else thanks for “the important issues  and strong emotions received up till now! It would be great if at the end of this course , we could have others.”

There is also a positive assessment for the course which started in February at Cosenza with more

than 20 families, either adoptive or fostering, some of which were sent to AFN no-profit ,from social services.

The families share their fears, perplexity and the need to be monitored and supported in dealing with difficult situations, but also the benefits of a strategy which has given them resources and the wish to get involved. One thing is certain: a sure and stable relationship is the base for the construction of the identity of a child or an adolescent and is also an indispensable condition for living serenely with yourself and with others.

(editor: Giovanna Pieroni)