Menores extranjeros no acompañados en Italia: una reflexión acerca de las políticas de acogida y los servicios para la tutela de los derechos.

Abstract

The presence of foreign children in Italy has become increasingly significant, favoured by some circumstances of great legal and social relevance: the enactment of favourable legislative conditions for family union, an increase in births of immigrant children in Italy due to the achieved families settlement, the increased presence of unaccompanied foreign minors. The Italian legal system has recognized the foreign minor, which for various reasons is present in its territory, the same fundamental rights of citizen minors. They are fundamental rights that correspond to meritorious needs for its essentiality in the development of personality, be legislatively secured; beyond the right to citizenship, integration and therefore foster and education, as the right to family reunification, the right to protection of health, the right to protection against all forms of exploitation. But even if the law recognizes the foreign child’s rights, on the other hand immigration policies (always more focused on the control of illegal entries and less on integration) have highlighted the admission requirements and services dispensing, making it increasingly difficult to access and benefit from the minors. In particular, the difficulties of the reception system become more evident in the case of Unaccompanied Foreign Minors, for whom, in Italy, exist many differences in the protection, based on the existing regulatory system and the (regional and local) spatial variability of relevant services for the protection and welfare of children.