The term “care leavers” refers to a diverse category of young people who, on reaching the age of 18, live outside their families of origin due to an order issued by a judicial authority. 

The category of care leavers includes not only those who have grown up in an extra-familial context because they have no family, but also those who have been placed in care after being removed from their families of origin. 

The term also encompasses unaccompanied foreign children who have entered Italy as well as those who are “in placement” in execution of a probation order adopted during a juvenile criminal procedure.

At regulatory level, few countries have specific legislation for care leavers, although it is true that in recent years institutions have increasingly focused on this group. In particular, on 28 March 2022, the Italian National Child Guarantee Action Plan (NAPGI) was adopted. It implemented the European Union's Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021.

In order to provide a more detailed picture at national and local level, the measures that Italian Regions have approved in recent years in favour of care leavers are outlined in this document.

Attached is a regulatory overview of the National and Regional Policies to Support Care Leavers.