The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in association with Foundation Child and SOS Telefono Azzurro, organized the 6th edition of the Master’s Program in “Evaluation and Intervention in Situations of Child Abuse and Pedophilia.”
The main goal of the Master’s Program was to provide intensive training on child and adolescent distress, with a particular focus on child abuse and maltreatment, including the analysis of integrated interventions involving different professionals working in the field.
In particular, the Master’s Program addressed serious issues such as the consequences of abuse for children and adolescents, the complex personalities of perpetrators, and the high recidivism rate associated with sexual violence. The ultimate aim was to strengthen the skills of existing professionals working to protect children and adolescents, as well as to train new experts in this field.
The Master’s Program lasted one year.
Each participant became familiar with theoretical and methodological tools for working in high-risk situations or cases of abuse.
The Master’s Program focused on:
Principles for Organizing Mental Health Systems for Children and Adolescents
The Declaration of Venice was adopted in 1996 by the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP).
Given the over-arching goals of mental health systems within single countries and in different geographic areas to:
the Declaration asserts the importance of well funded, high quality, ethically delivered, accessible, mental health services for children, adolescents and their families.
Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders
The Declaration of Venice was adopted in 1998 by the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP).
It endorses the following principles:
To assure the creation and maintenance of optimal systems of mental health and special education, govemment, private organizations, professionals, families, and advocates need to work together
Declaration of the Founding of the Eastern Mediterranean Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (EMACAPAP)
“The founding members of EMACAPAP are individuals who gathered together at the first Regional Congress of Eastern Mediterranean Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, convened by the International Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP), World Health Organization, Egyptian Society of Psychiatry, the World Psychiatric Association, and the Telefono Azzurro Foundation for Education and Research. The founding members signed this Declaration to affirm their belief in promoting the development of children and adolescents, improving care and treatment, supporting families and communities, strengthening national and regional commitments to meeting the needs of all children and families, and enhancing the work of professionals and the programs that are engaged in these missions.”
Genetics of Autism
“The International Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP) convened an international working group on the Genetics of Autism in Modena, Italy, on March 16-18, 2000. The Working Group reviewed the current state of knowledge concerning the contributions of genetic factors to the pathogenesis of autism and discussed future directions and implications of research.
[…] The new science of human genetics offers great hope for individuals with autism and their families, as well as applications in relation to other major neuropsychiatric and developmental disorders. At the same time, the nature and implications of genetic research raise important administrative, social policy and ethical concerns that require thoughtful, sensitive and continuing discussion among families, basic and applied researchers, clinicians, government, the faith community, and others concerned about children and adolescents and the promotion of human welfare. The knowledge gained in relation to autism will have important influences on the understanding and care of children and adolescents with other serious neuropsychiatric and developmental disorders.”
Giovanni Bollea, 90 anni di futuro [90 Years of Future], Rome, Foundation Child, 2003.
90 Years of Future is a biography that celebrates the neuropsychiatrist Giovanni Bollea in the occasion of his 90th birtday.
Giovanni Bollea, Distinguished Professor in Child Neuropsychiatry at Sapienza University of Rome, participated to the Scientific Committee of the Foundation Child from its origins. Prof. Bollea’s contribution to Italian Neuropsychiatry is seminal, especially with regards to new perspectives for an innovative approach to address the topic of children and adolescents’ mental health.
Caring for Children Affected by Maltreatment, War, Terrorism, and Disaster
“Untold millions of children, families and communities have been devastated by war, terrorism, disaster and maltreatment. Respect for children is the mark of a civilized society. Suffering is not the lot of the good or the bad. It belongs to all. Denial based on assuming the problem is too distant or related to cultural differences must be challenged in the modern civilized world. There are no longer any safe havens. In the wake of man-made and natural disasters there are increasing numbers of orphans, displaced children and families, broken families and disrupted societies. Children traumatized by these events have disrupted development and may be unable to function in education, comply with health care regimens, or find employment. Each incident of maltreatment may facilitate subsequent occurrences and thus lead to a vicious cycle. The social, personal and financial burden resulting from these traumas is enormous.
Respect for and protection of children is the mark of a civilized society […].”
Caring for children and adolescents with mental disorders: Setting WHO directions
This essay, which was written in partnership with the World Health Organization, represents the outcome of the 2002 Conference with the same title (Geneva; 2003).
Mental wellbeing of children in Europe Plans and perspectives
This Declaration was adopted during the XIII European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) congress, held in Florence, Italy, August 2007, attended by the leading experts in the field. The conference discussed the current state of European child psychiatry and put forward recommendations as how to improve children’ mental health; strengthen the effectiveness and the efficiency of treatments; ameliorate the accessibility and the quality of services; and finally, overcome stigma and protect children human rights.
Journal article “Promoting resilience and psychological well-being in vulnerable life stages”. Caffo, E., Belaise, C., Forresi, B.. In: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 77:6 (2008), pp. 331-336.
“In 2005, a Mental Health Declaration for Europe was adopted in Helsinki. The Ministers of Health of Member States in the European Region of the WHO, in the presence of the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, together with the WHO Regional Director for Europe, recognized that the promotion of mental health and the prevention, treatment, care and rehabilitation of mental health problems are a priority for WHO and its Member States, the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe. According to this declaration, it is a priority of every country to design and implement comprehensive, integrated and efficient mental health system that covers promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, care and recovery.
This Declaration was followed by the Mental Health Action Plan for Europe, which sets out 12 priority areas of action, including promoting activities sensitive to vulnerable life stages.”