Initiate discussions with institutions, schools, and associations to identify the most urgent priorities and strengthen services for minors. This is the starting point for the mandate of the new regional ombudsman for children and adolescents, Anna Cau, presented this morning to the Regional Council by President Piero Comandini.
"The first step, already underway, is to listen and engage with all institutions, both public and private," Cau explains. "Listening and engaging in dialogue are essential because, based on this, I will determine the priorities to pursue in a fully collaborative effort."
Among the first stakeholders involved are the Regional School Office and associations that work with unaccompanied foreign minors, as well as the juvenile justice authority. "I have already initiated discussions with the School Office and the guardianship associations of unaccompanied minors and organized a meeting with the Cagliari juvenile authority," she adds. "In Sassari, we have scheduled a day with all the institutions to discuss that area, which, being far from Cagliari, needs to be organized with particular care." A meeting with the Sardinian bishops is also on the agenda.
Regarding critical issues, the new guarantor identifies some clear priorities, starting with healthcare and community services. "The emergencies facing children require strengthening healthcare, from child neuropsychiatry to community services," she emphasizes. "It's also necessary to strengthen social services, which today often have to simultaneously care for the elderly and minors, as often happens in small towns without specific expertise or dedicated time."
Particular attention is also paid to the status of minors in society. "One of the main weaknesses concerns their existential condition and their position within society," Cau concludes. "It's a weakness that also affects the world of adults, who must rediscover the tools and responsibilities to support the youngest."
Umberto Zedda