Parents of disabled children know the struggle: a pervasive shortage of reliable help at every turn. Schools rarely guarantee continuity, even with dedicated special-education teachers. Rehabilitation therapies fall on parents' shoulders—both the cost and the driving. Finding a safe space, like a play center, where they can leave their child without staying present themselves? Nearly impossible; the staff simply isn't trained. At home, parents juggle prescribed exercises, other siblings, and the exhaustion of it all. Their marriage—so vital to family stability—withers from neglect. There is no time to be husband and wife.
Baby Xitter is the first organization in Italy to take these real, concrete struggles seriously and turn them into both a solution and a job opportunity.
Gianni del Corral knew these needs intimately. Living them himself, and convinced that public services couldn't meet the demand, he founded Baby Xitter in Turin at the end of 2005. His mission: train and place specialized babysitters equipped to care for disabled children. Candidates often arrive with existing experience in disability services, but all undergo rigorous screening. The final question recruiters ask themselves—one that captures their empathy for anxious parents—is simple and piercing: "Would I let this person into my home with my own child?"
Finding the right caregiver is hard enough under ordinary circumstances. For parents of a disabled child, the stakes are higher still.
Member families pay a modest annual fee and contact the association, which matches them with the most suitable caregiver. A Baby Xitter operative is not only warm and attentive but also capable and confident—someone who can suggest therapeutic activities, keep the child engaged through play in a homey atmosphere, and offer the kind of consistent stimulation disabled children often need. Meanwhile, the parent can finally relax, present but unburdened. All this comes at the cost of an ordinary babysitter: one of the association's proudest achievements, ensuring that economic hardship doesn't add another barrier.
After each training course—six have been completed so far—the newly certified Baby Xitters gather for a celebration where they meet the children of member families and offer parents a few precious hours off. Parents use the time to share their stories and experiences. At the most recent gathering, they voiced such deep satisfaction that they urged the association to collect their testimonies in writing.
For del Corral, improving life for disabled children and their families means promoting genuine integration into society. To that end, Baby Xitter has launched two programs involving both disabled and non-disabled children: a theater company, Mosca Cieca, and a rowing team, Canoax Team. The association is now seeking a physical home—a real headquarters where families can come for information and support, replacing the current telephone-only helpline.
Another goal: create a play space welcoming both disabled and non-disabled children together, staffed by caregivers trained to handle any situation that arises.
After three years, del Corral reports an overwhelmingly positive record. The main challenge remains consistent caregiver continuity—a problem endemic to this kind of work, where talented people often move on to more permanent positions.
For information:
Baby Xitter Website
Facebook Page
Cristina Tersigni, 2008