On 21 January, the Council of Ministers approved the final version of the Fifth National Plan of Action and Interventions for the Protection of the Rights and Development of Children and Adolescents, adopted by the National Observatory for Children and Adolescents on 21 May 2021.

The document obtained the positive opinions of the Supervisory Authority for Children and Adolescents, the Parliamentary Commission for Children and Adolescents and the Unified Conference, completing the approval process provided for in Article 1, paragraph 5, of Presidential Decree No. 103 of 14 May 2007. Following the resolution of the Council of Ministers, it will be adopted by decree of the President of the Republic.

For the first time, the Plan's development was accompanied by the direct involvement of boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 17, thanks to the technical-scientific support of the Istituto degli Innocenti within the framework of the functions of the National Centre for Documentation and Analysis for Childhood and Adolescence, which conducted a survey to gather evaluations and guidelines to complete the definition of the document's actions. The work was structured on two levels: a consultation through an online questionnaire presented to class groups located in major metropolitan areas and some smaller areas; an in-depth qualitative study through focus groups with some vulnerable groups.

The Plan - divided into the three intervention areas Education, Equity, Empowerment - promotes innovative and empowering actions in favour of children and adolescents and is consistent with the contents of the other actions in favour of families and children and adolescents, through the national coordinating bodies, such as the National Observatory on the Family and the Observatory for the fight against paedophilia and child pornography.

The document is available on the website of the Department for Family Policies, on the dedicated page.

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