The project officially started July 1st 2022 but was already active for a few years, and strongly desired and supported by Medacta for Life Foundation in collaboration with the Associazione Ticinese Famiglie Affidatarie – ATFA. It comes from the need to combine the status of “Foster Family” with professional competence in the socio-educational field.
A Professional Foster Family can take in up to 4 minors (0-18 years) at the same time and for flexible periods of time, depending on the specific needs; a pivotal requirement for the family is for one of the parents to hold a socio-educational background and that they already are a foster family.
The project provides for two children in long-term foster care and two places for SOS foster care (emergency placements). The FAP, which embodied this pilot phase of the project, has taken in 13 minors over the 3-year period (2020-2023), in addition to the child already in long-term foster care (since 2014). There is constant support from ATFA, also through monthly supervision.
Together with other benefactors, Medacta for Life Foundation funded the project during the pilot period 2020-2023. Eventually, the Canton recognised the goodness of the project and decided to support it since July 2023.
