A small, unassuming quarterly has arrived in our editorial office for many years now. On the cover is a black-and-white photograph of a tiny child's hand, pressing gently against the palm of the mother's hand, which rests in turn against the father's palm. It is called Notizie—News—and for 32 years it has been the journal of parents enrolled in the Correspondence Courses run by the Pedagogical Consulting Service of Trento.
The newsletter collects letters from parents writing to the Service, describing the milestones and progress they see in their children as they participate in Correspondence Courses and Residential Weeks organized by the Service. These are beautiful letters—sometimes simple accounts, sometimes deeper reflections—that tell the stories of these children, many of whom we come to recognize through photographs sent by their parents. These families share a common experience, even when separated by hundreds of miles. You also find letters like one from a young woman with Down syndrome, now grown, writing in her own hand that she no longer needs to read the newsletter—a real achievement. Or letters from parents in serious difficulty, prompting the Service to suggest new approaches and resources. There are specialized courses for parents of deaf children, for parents of blind children, for parents of deaf-blind children, and for parents of children with Down syndrome.
We had waited a long time for this Week. Being able to spend as much time as possible with our son was something we desperately needed but had never been able to do because of work.
These parents are guided to become agents of change in how they see their child and help their child be seen by others. Not long ago, a child neuropsychiatrist speaking at a conference said that in her 30 years of experience, what made the real difference in the positive development of a child with a disability was not just professional skill, but the professional's ability to support parents and help them discover how much they themselves can give to their child.
The work of the Pedagogical Consulting Service of Trento, guided by Salvatore Lagati, seems to confirm this. For 39 years, their commitment has been to train parents—specialized parents, yet not physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychologists, or doctors. "Our goal," Lagati wrote to us, "is to ensure that parents and, more broadly, the entire family—including any siblings and grandparents, if present—understand what needs to happen so that their child grows well and learns as much as possible."
"I leave a little richer and a little more at peace. I've cleared up quite a few doubts on the subject and picked up some practical suggestions too."
When family members can educate their own child without turning to "experts" and professionals for everything, we have seen clearly that their anxiety and distress—when present—diminishes and often disappears, making room for the joy of being able to help their child concretely. A parent wrote to me some time ago that if he had not stopped seeking so many specialists and experts to educate his son, he risked his son becoming "the child of the team" instead of theirs.
He went on to explain: "We need specialists and experts, but the primary educators of children—even children with difficulties—are and must remain the parents. Parents, of course, who need to learn more. But in return, they will have enormous satisfaction: they will see day by day the results of their educational work, the affection and gratitude of their children, especially those they have worked hardest to help. Over the years, 1,278 families of deaf children, 757 families of blind or deaf-blind children, and 1,540 families of children with Down syndrome have turned to our service."
"I met truly skilled and well-prepared professionals who gave me good insights and advice to help my daughter overcome her difficulties. I also appreciated the warm, family-like atmosphere and sense of shared purpose that developed among the families."
It strikes me that here, drop by drop, a river is being made. Families come from every part of Italy—even from Switzerland, sometimes—and gain awareness through their own interaction with the services in their home regions. The training effort is constant and seeks to involve both families and professionals in the field. Remarkable in our time: there is no website, only an email address and a director who answers each person personally. Another sign that what has counted and still counts in the work of all the professionals at this service are results, not appearances.
Edited by Cristina Tersigni, 2016
Fundamental Principles for Courses and Summer Weeks:
- Parents are the most important educational resource a child has.
- Parents know their own children better than anyone and have both the capacity and the right to make educational decisions for them—at least until their children are able to decide for themselves.
- Children cannot learn unless they are stimulated to do so. This stimulation must happen in ways suited to each individual child.
- Parents do not wish to become teachers: they wish to remain parents. But they want to learn how best to use the time they spend with their children, creating opportunities for learning and improving their children's educational possibilities.
Summer Weeks and National Days
Summer Weeks for families of blind and deaf-blind children, National Days for people with hearing difficulties, Summer Weeks for families of children with Down syndrome, and Weekends for parents of children with Down syndrome on Emotional and Sexual Education currently take place in Bibione (Venice) and Vicoforte (Cuneo). These gatherings give families the chance to share their experiences and to learn from specially trained therapists—activities essential for educating their children.
Again, the goal is not to turn a parent into a music therapist or speech therapist, but to help parents understand that their child will not learn to speak simply because they attend sessions with an excellent speech therapist. Rather, the child will learn because family members engage with them every day, all day, speaking in specific ways and encouraging them to communicate using the language they know, while introducing new words they have yet to master.
For residential programs, the Service sets a contribution amount, and the host facility determines room and board costs.