It is a last resort but, in some cases, it is a path to take in the interest of the minor . We are talking about foster care or placement in a facility as a possibility to support the family of origin and it is a decision that is not up to social services but in this case to the courts after a careful evaluation . Even in Sassari there are several minor children and young people welcomed into residential facilities. The data from the Municipality's Social Services report that in 2024 they amount to 90.43 females and 47 males, and among these 31 minors are between 14 and 17 years old, 18 of them are between 11 and 13 years old and only 9 are between 0-2. The percentage - 38.9% - of those who have a psychophysical disability or a sociocultural vulnerability is important. 28 out of 90 are minors who are together with their mothers in the child-parent reception community, the most suitable for reaching a balance between what the mother can do and the needs of care and protection of the child.
It is the court, in most cases - 86 out of 106 - that provides for placement without parental consent. But removing children from one's own territory is a complex choice that is rarely made , so much so that the communities of Sassari are those that host the largest number of minors. The overall expenses of residential care in the three-year period 2022-24 remain constant, from 32.6% to 34.6% last year, and mostly affect the Municipal Funds, while a portion is covered by the Poverty Fund for semi-residential care.
In the city, the facilities are divided into facilities for minors, those for pregnant women or mothers with children, day centres, and they also branch out into some neighbouring towns. It should also be remembered that, both in terms of the number of facilities and the number of beds, the reception community for minors represents the most widespread type of residential service in Sardinia and at a national level.
