AL HIMAYA (Capacity Building)

The project was created with the aim of strengthening the network of services dedicated to migrant minors who are victims of violence, by developing tailored interventions in five Sicilian provinces: Catania, Messina, Palermo, Ragusa, and Trapani.

The needs emerged with some difficulty due to several critical issues identified, including:

• reluctance among minors to disclose their needs.

• lack of know-how among social services regarding violence affecting migrant users and limited capacity to prevent and manage cases.

• lack of specific training for pediatricians and family doctors in recognizing suspected cases of violence.

• limited transcultural skills across the system.

• lack of coordination among the actors serving as “sentinels” within a given territory.

• absence of structured practices and intervention protocols for the qualified taking in charge of cases.

Through the project, investment was made in increasing the skills of territorial socio-health service operators in identifying and managing cases of violence against foreign minors, through specialized multidisciplinary training and by strengthening their operational capacity for case management and response.

The competence and know-how of operators and services involved in the prevention and response to violence against migrant minors have been strengthened in recognizing suspected cases of violence, managing them, and supporting victims.

Today, social services in the target areas are able to provide a more qualified response to the needs of the target group, with improved capacity to analyze cases and to coordinate with other professionals in the territory using more structured tools and procedures.