The Health Commission approved, by eight votes to four, a motion requiring the Government to strengthen staffing at the Child Protection Service (Tutela Minori), complete its operational protocols and verify the adequacy of its premises. Within six months, the Executive will have to return to the Commission to report on progress.
At the heart of the matter is a rise in cases that no one in the chamber disputed. Active cases grew from 60 at the end of 2022 to 101 as of last 30 June, an increase of more than 68%. Reports more than doubled between 2024 and 2025, from 25 to 54, with a further 27 recorded in the first six months of this year. Francesca Civerchia of the Christian Democratic Party (DC) urged caution in reading the figures, noting that they could also reflect the system’s improved ability to detect situations that previously went unreported.
Massimo Andrea Ugolini, Secretary of State for Health and Social Security, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, defended the current structure, which keeps responsibilities separate: the Child Protection Service handles assessment, protection and monitoring, while the Children’s Service (Servizio Minori) provides support to parents and psychological assistance — two tracks that must nonetheless guide the family through a unified path. In 85% of referred cases, intervention began within fifteen days.
Two unresolved issues cut across party lines. The first concerns staffing: Marinella Chiaruzzi of the PDCS pointed to the small size of the team and the risk of burnout among staff, while Guerrino Zanotti of Libera called for the workforce to be brought up to full strength. The second concerns the premises: the service’s temporary location at the Centro Atlante, within the Women’s Health Centre, is considered inadequate to guarantee the privacy of those who use it.
Commission chair Denise Bronzetti, of Alleanza Riformista, stressed the growing numbers: “Things are still not entirely in order,” she said, calling for close attention to resources, expertise and facilities.
The opposition criticised the gap between commitments and actual measures. Emanuele Santi of Rete noted that a review requested in May had not been carried out and that coordination problems persist. Matteo Casali of Repubblica Futura acknowledged the rationale behind separating assessment from care, but accused the majority of now calling for the Child Protection Service to be strengthened after having cut its resources back in 2024.
