ASSOCIAZIONE BAMBINISENZASBARRE ONLUS

ACTIVITIES
THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING – CHARTER OF CHILDREN OF PRISONERS’ RIGHTS
ETHICS COMMITTEE
PARTNERS
HISTORICAL FACTS AND PILOT PROJECTS
PUBLIC INITIATIVES
EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES
PUBLICATIONS
DOCUMENTARIES AND SHORT MOVIES
REWARDS

Bambinisenzasbarre is a non-profit association based in Milan.
Over the last 19 years it has been working in Italy in the process of psycho-pedagogic support to imprisoned parents with a special attention to children, in particular minors, having to cope with the imprisonment of one or both parents. It is a Board member of Children of Prisoners Europe-COPE, an European network involving 21 Countries and founded in 2000 with the support of the Dutch Bernard van Leer Foundation. Aim of the network is to raise awareness on the condition of children separated from their imprisoned parents and link together the various entities working around this issue in Europe.

The mission
The mission of Bambinisenzasbarre is raising awareness in civil society so that it will bear the burden of human rights, ratified by all international conventions, in order to help minors separated from their imprisoned parents, so that the right of being a parent can be guaranteed, culturally assimilated and made part of the system of values. The prison is the place where this right is less protected, with harmful consequences for the community; as a matter of fact statistics confirm that the children of imprisoned parents have higher chances of going to prison, drop school, suffer from deviance, unemployment, illegality and social discomfort.
That is why actions of help and support of the parental relationship during imprisonment are to be seen as interventions of social prevention. This intervention has a double value in prevention: it helps to prevent emotional and relational problems of the child and their negative effect on his/her psychological affective development and helps the parent maintaining his/her self-esteem as long as he/she is able to go on carrying out his/her parental role.

Our association operates in the prisons of Milan and Naples, and its actions over the years have become permanent workshops and observatory of best practices at a national level. Bambinisenzasbarre is accredited by the Ministry of Justice as specialized psycho-pedagogic and training agency.
The association has developed the issue of the right of the child to keep the relation with the imprisoned, fostering interventions and projects that could give a real answer to the requests of help inside and outside prison, coming from the imprisoned parents and their families. All the actions are programmed starting from the “hearing points on the parental role in prison” where, through individual interviews of psychological support, we favor an awareness-raising process on various aspects of the parent-child
bond and on the rights and duties of being a parent.

The “workshops on maternity” and “workshops on paternity” held in prison are training and information tools to feed the data bank of a permanent research on the role of being a parent, a mapping of parental roles that tries to integrate practical aspects with educational psychology knowledge applied to prison environment.
The “Spazio Giallo” (Yellow Space) is an integrated socio-educational space to give care and attention to children in prison waiting to meet their detained mother or father. The Yellow Space turned out to be a decisive tool of connection to the territory and of interception and prevention of situations of discomfort and social frailty.

ACTIVITIES

• Service of social mediation, connection between prison and territory as a specialized agency of educational psychology and of parental relationships in the prison environment.
• Service of educational psychology consulting for imprisoned mothers and fathers.
• Service of educational psychology consulting for the families outside the prison.
• Networking operations with institutional workers and with social workers from local institutions and social private entities for an integrated support.
• National coordination network (Relais Italia) for actions and services supporting the parental role in prison.
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THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING – CHARTER OF CHILDREN OF PRISONERS’ RIGHTS

• Signed in Rome on the 21st March 2014 by the Ministry of Justice, the national Ombudsman Authority for Childhood and Adolescence and Bambinisenzasbarre, it is the first document in Europe to officially recognize and protect the right of the child to keep the emotional bond with his or her parent in prison, and to struggle against the social stigma, shame and marginalization affecting this group of children. The Memorandum is a landmark in terms of normative guidelines and protection of children rights and it sets the steps to be adopt to reduce the impact of penitentiary environment on the child and to facilitate the meetings between children and parent inside prison.
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ETHICS COMMITTEE

Alain Bouregba, Chairman of the French Federation of the Relais Enfants-Parents de Paris,
Henriette Heimgartner, promoter of Eurochips (European Network for Children of Imprisoned Parents) and of Bambinisenzasbarre,
Romano Madera, professor of Moral Philosophy and of Philosophic Practices at the University of Bicocca in Milan; founder of Philo, High School of Philosophic Practices,
Susanna Mantovani, pro-rector of the University Bicocca in Milan,
Valerio Onida, Past-President of the Italian Constitutional Court and professor of Constitutional Right at the University in Milan,
Mauro Palma, Italian Ombudsman for the rights of persons deprived of freedom Former President of the European Commission for the prevention of the torture, Former vice-president of the European Council for cooperation in criminal, former President of the Ministerial Committee on prison overcrowding,Lella Ravasi Bellocchio, psychoanalist,
Vero Tarca, professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Venice.
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PARTNERS

Bernard van Leer Foundation, The Hague
Founded in 1949, based in The Haguem, Netherlands, is focused on supporting activities promoting the development of early childhood in 40 countries. Its mission is to increase chances for children from 0 to 7 years, growing up in situations of severe social and economic disadvantage so that they can develop their potential at best.
www.bernardvanleer.org

Relais Enfants Parents Federation, Paris
It has been working in France for 15 years connecting 16 associations (1 association in Belgium). The Relais deals with all problems affecting children separated from their parents due to detention, such as disease, drug addiction and any other type of discomfort, to help tie again the knot of child-parent bond. “In order to become a responsible adult, every child has the right and the need of knowing his/her own true story”.
www.frep.fr

Children of Prisoners Europe-COPE
COPE (ex Eurochips) is a European network organization based in Paris and founded in 2000 by Relais Enfants Parents, the Federation of Relais Enfants Parents and Save the Children.It is aimed to disseminate and develop the international collaborations and advocacy activities in favor of the rights of children separated from their imprisoned parents and connect the different entities operating in this same field in Europe.
It is currently operating in Italy (Bambinisenzasbarre is the Italian Board member) Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, FInnland, Denmark.
www.childrenofprisoners.eu

CRC Group – Italy
The CRC (Child Rights Convention) Group is the Italian network currently composed by 91 organizations, working for the promotion and protection of children’s rights in Italy.
The Italian NGO Group for the CRC was established in 2000 and is coordinated by Save the Children Italy. Its main aim is drafting an annual Report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in Italy, supplementary to the one presented by the Italian Government, to be submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC Committee) at the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The mandate of the CRC Group is to guarantee an independent and permanent monitoring system on the application of the CRC articles by the Italian policies and institutions and boost child rights advocacy actions.
www.gruppocrc.net
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HISTORICAL FACTS AND PILOT PROJECTS

1996 – 2000
• 1st Conference of “Bambini senza sbarre” held inside San Vittore prison in Milan (1996).
• Survey/questionnaire on the role of the parent inside San Vittore prison in Milan.

2000 – 2002
• First individual educational psychology interviews to support the imprisoned parent and first meeting groups on affectivity.
• First “Sunday meetings”: opening of the prison on Sunday for 3-hour meetings with the children of imprisoned mothers using methods and spaces more suitable to children.

2002 Setting up of the Bambinisenzasbarre Association

2002 – 2005
• 2nd Conference in San Vittore prison “Il tempo e lo spazio della relazione figli-genitori in carcere” (Time and space of the parents-children relationships in prison) and printing of the proceedings in cooperation with Eurochips and the Relais Federation from Paris.
• Approval of the pilot project “Il mantenimento della relazione figli-genitori detenuti“ (Maintaining the relationship between imprisoned parents/children) from the Dutch Bernard van Leer Foundation.

2005-2007
• Pilot project “Legami – Figli e genitori detenuti, famiglia e carcere: una relazione da sostenere e tutelare. La promozione genitoriale come risorsa primaria di reinserimento sociale” (Bonds – Imprisoned parents and children, family and prison: a relationship to support and protect. Parental promotion as the main source of social reintegration) supported by the Lombardy Region.
2007-2009
• Pilot project “Figli e genitori ancora, famiglia e carcere: la promozione genitoriale come garanzia del diritto del minore alla famiglia” (Still children and parents, family and prison: parental promotion as a guarantee for the right of the child to have a family), supported by the Cariplo Foundation.

• Pilot project “Centro per la genitorialità, famiglia, carcere e territorio” (Center for parental role recognition, family, prison and territory), supported by the Province of Milan.

• Opening of the “Centro di formazione per la famiglia coinvolta in esperienze di detenzione” (Training center for families struck by a detention experience) at the headquarters of Bambinisenzasbarre (specialized educational psychology agency for families which may be exposed to frailty and crisis).
2008-2010
• European Project “Legami – Partenariato di apprendimento sul mantenimento del legame tra figli e genitori in situazioni di detenzione” (Bonds – Learning partnership on the maintenance of the bonds between imprisoned parents and their children) Lifelong Learning Programme Grundtvig 2008.

• “Family fragilities and prison: the separation and the children-parents bonds maintenance” focused on opening a new ‘Yellow Space’ area in the Bollate Prison (support of 4th Plan Childhood and Adolescence, city of Milan- Ministry of the Work and of the Social Politics).
July 2010
• Bambinisenzasbarre becomes ‘ONLUS’ (Non-Profit Organizations for Public Benefit) and it’is officially registered in the National no-profit associations list.
2009 – 2011
• Bambinisenzasbarre carried out the first research never made in Italy on children and prison “Children of imprisoned parents: a vulnerable group”, led in Europe by the DIHR (Danish Institute of Human Rights), in partnership with the European Net Eurochips (France), the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland), the Second Chance Foundation (Poland) and the support of the Italian Justice Ministry and the Lombardy Penitentiary Administration.
2010-12
• “Relais genitori-figli: la cura delle relazioni familiari dal carcere al territorio” (Relais parents-Children: traitment of family’ relationship, from the prison to the territory) supported by Cariplo Foundation: Spazio Giallo in Bollate prison, and inside the prisons activities for imprisoned parents.

2011-2012
• Project: “The care of family relationships and the first year in the life of children: prison as an intercepting place for the surrounding area.” Financed by Lombardy Regional Authority

2012
• Project “Yellow Space in Opera prison and yellow space network in Lombardy” , financed by Cariplo and Near Foundation.

• Within the fund raising actions have been developed new cooperation with: Near (solid shopping), Aiutare I Bambini Fundation, Candido Cannavò Fundation (support for the San Vittore welcoming space renewal), Unicredit Fundation and La Scala di Milano (Philarmonic Orchestra’s open rehearsals), Fineco Bank, Ikea (new furniture’s supply for the Yellow Space in S. Vittore prison, books and soft toys for children Christmas parties), KPMG (company’s voluntary work), Pirelli, Metroweb and F2i (support for the Christmas concert in favour of Bambinisenzasbarre).

2012
• Tenth anniversary of the Association celebrated with two extraordinary concerts: on the 21 April at La Scala Theatre in Milan with an Open Rehearsal of the Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Riccardo Chailly, with Stefano Bollani interpreting Gershwin, and on 18 December at Teatro della Luna with Irene Grandi and Stefano Bollani in concert, the only Milanese stop of the national tour.

2012-2013
• “Project Yellow Space. One year of welcome in Lombardy’s prisons.” Financed by Tavola Valdese (Waldensian Church).

2013
• 29 April-11 May. ”Not My Crime, Still My Sentence”: the first fund raising campaign of Bambinisenzasbarre through text-to- donate on RAI, Mediaset and Sky TV national networks, aiming to reinforcement, continuation and extension of the welcoming model Yellow Space in prisons.

• Patronage of Cariplo Foundation for the publication of the book: “Parenthood and prison: combining security and quality of the meeting: a formative intervention” : first educational tool in the prison sphere, the result of the pilot training project in Italy carried out in the 18 prisons of Lombardy ( extra competition).

• Start of the extension of the welcoming project Yellow Space to Lombardy’s prisons (Lecco, Bergamo, Varese) and to the national network.

2013-2014
• Project “Yellow Space System in Italian prisons: when children enter prison to meet their father” : Opera, San Vittore and Bollate prison, financed by Regional Decree 8 (DGR 4333 of 26 Oct. 2012)

• Project “Yellow Space: when children enter prison to meet their mom or dad”, in Bergamo prison, financed by Fondazione della Comunità Bergamasca Onlus

• Project “Yellow Space: when children enter prison to meet their mom or dad”, in Lecco prison, financed by Fondazione della Provincia di Lecco.

• Project “Yellow Space: when children enter prison to meet their mom or dad”, in Varese prison, financed by Fondazione Comunitaria del Varesotto

2014-2015
• “Children of Imprisoned Parents: an Invisible World” , a project in Bergamo prison, supported by Fondazione della Comunità Bergamasca Onlus.

• “The Policeman and the Dinosaur”, children’s artistic gesture as a tool for coping with prison, within Opera prison, supported by Fondazione Alta Mane Italia (2014-2017).

• “The Open Door of Prison, family and surrounding area in network”, Bollate prison, funded by Regione Lombardia – Lombardy Regional Authority ( Regional Decree 8/2009).

• “The Open Door of Prison – the welcoming system Yellow Space for parents, children, family, staff and surrounding area”, Opera prison, funded by Regione Lombardia – Lombardy Regional Authority ( Regional Decree 8/2009) .

2015-2016
• “Yellow Telephone. A Phone Line outside prison for families” , a phone line dedicated to fulfilling specific requests about individual cases ( family history and children’s rights), and relating training of two persons and an expert for questions of a psychological matter. The project is financed by Tavola Valdese (Waldensian Church).

• Publishing project “Writing without Bars”: information, training and research books and audio-visuals aiming to support field experts or to raise awareness, or books for children: a psychoactive support that can soften the impact on experiencing prison, through simple stories. The project is funded by Cariplo Foundation.

• “The first Yellow Space in Piemonte: when the parent/child relationship passes through prison”. The general objective of the project is promoting and maintaining the parent/child relationship during Imprisonment and sensitization of civil society so that it takes responsibility for human rights, on behalf of minors separated from their imprisoned parents. The specific objective of the project is starting the first Yellow Space in Piemonte in Ivrea’s prison, as well as sensitizing and training the prison operators of all prisons of Piedmont Region. The project is funded by De Agostini and CRT Foundations.

• “Yellow Space System” plans to empower the welcoming and support services for children of imprisoned parents in three important Italian prisons of Naples and Milan, using a modular furniture’s system developed by prisoners or former prisoners organization. The project is funded by Enel Cuore Onlus and Peppino Vismara Foundation.

2016-17
• “Yellow Space System in Tuscany”: training of penitentiary officers, promotion and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, opening of the first Yellow Space in a prison in Tuscany. Project supported by the Regione Toscana and the Bank Foundation of Florence.

• “Yet Telephone app”: the development of the mobile app of the Yellow Telephone helpline service. The first child-friendly app for the rights of children pf imprisoned parents. Supported by Telecom Italia, Waldesian Church, Intesa Sanpaolo and Nando Peretti Foundation.

• “Children challenging prison. National Study-Third Edition” the publication of the most recent data and analysis on the implementation of the MoU by the Italian penitentiary system. Supported by Intesa Sanpaolo, Waldesian Church and Nando Peretti Foundation.

2017-2018
• “The Charter of the children of prisoners’ rights. The national implementation”. Focused on the promotion and implementation of the MoU guidelines by the national penitentiary system, through advocacy campaigns and training sessions for prison officers. Supported by Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, Intesa Sanpaolo and Waldesian Church.

• “Net Bollate” and “Net Opera”: extended partnership for actions of parental support and care of children during family visits, in the prisons of Milan. European Fund for Sustainable Development.

• “The Policeman and the Dinosaur”, children’s artistic gesture as a tool for coping with prison and re-build the relation with the imprisoned father. Replication in the prison of Napoli of the good practice experienced in the Opera prison of Milan. Supported by Fondazione Alta Mane Italia.
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PUBLIC INITIATIVES

Conferences and round tables

• “Oltre le nostre sbarre” (Beyond our bars) conference held at Le Stelline Conference Center in Milan, public awareness-raising manifestation on the issue of parental roles in prison (2003).
• “Carcere e diritti dei figli. Il mantenimento della relazione figlio-genitore” (Prison and rights of the children. The maintenance of the parent-child relationship) European conference held at the Università Statale of Milan with the Sponsorship of the Lombardy Penitentiary Administration Superintendency (December 16th 2005).
• “Figli di genitori detenuti, quali buone prassi a sostegno della relazione” (Children of imprisoned parents, good practices to support the bond) at the Università Statale of Milan for the presentation of the “Guida europea di buone pratiche” (European good practices manual) (February 3rd 2007).
• “Che ci faccio io qui? Perché nessun bambino varchi più la soglia di un carcere” (What do I do here? Because no child has to enter a prison anymore) Chamber of Deputies, Rome (January 23rd 2007).
• Quando la relazione genitori-figli passa attraverso il carcere: esperienze italiane, europee e brasiliane nella cura dei figli di genitori detenuti”(When the parents-children relationship passes through the prison: Italian, European and Brazilian experiences in taking care of the children of imprisoned parents), held at the seat of the Province. Rome, June 26th 2009.
• Bambinisenzasbarre is the only Italian organization invited to the Grundtvig European Conference on Prison Education titled “European Conference on Prison Education , Pathways to inclusion”, and has attended many seminars and workshops. Budapest, February 22-24th, 2010
• European Conference Partner Grundtvig Life Long Learning Program “Legami “ (May 7th -8th, 2010, Oslo).
• Speech at the International Meeting of the Eurochips Net “Spazio Giallo, a resilience “tool” for children with imprisoned parents”, Barcelona, May 13th 2011.
• Attendance and speech at the meeting “Local Authorities, Prison and Welfare System: Roster and competences of the Region and of the Local Authorities on the subject of the problems related to the detention and to the social reintegration of the detainee” Lombardy Regional Council, Milan. June 6th 2011.
• Attendance and speech at the Meeting: “Safeguard, welcome and welfare of the detainees’ children” held at the prison of Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi (Avellino), July 4th 2011.
• Attendance and speech at the international meeting “Children of Incarcerated Parents” organized by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child held in the United Nations Building in Geneva with the collaboration of the Università Cattolica of Milan (“Build and rebuild bonds between incarcerated parents and children: the right to the ongoing company of the family”) September 29th – October 1st 2011.
• Attendance and speech at the national meeting “Parenthood in prison and rights of the children of the detainees” Chamber Of Deputies, Rome – October 20th 2011.
• Attendance and speech at the national meeting “Chidren growing in prison: a tear lasting 2 lives” organized by the associations Legale nel Sociale and A Roma, insieme, at the Università degli Studi of Roma Tre – Rome, December 1st, 2011
• Not my crime, still my sentence: online-petition by Eurochips and Bambinisenzasbarre to European Commission: the aims to ensure that the topic of children with imprisoned parents is included in the conversation surrounding children’s rights at the international level. 1754 e-signatures collected in Italy (all over Italy, June 2012).
• Attendance and Bambinisenzasbarre’s presentation of its activities at the Motor Village, an afternoon lasting event totally devoted to children with a “Pinocchio” performance, entertainment, parties. (Milan, December 16th 2012).
• Public Hearing at the Council of the Lombardia Region on the activity and progress of the association’s work on the issue of childe of prisoners’ rights. (Milan, December 12th 2013).
• Bambinisenzasbarre attended to the Milan Bookcity Festival, a series of events, meetings and conversations about books, literature, theater, spirituality in the whole city of Milan. Bambinisenzasbarre reproduced the Yellow Space of prisons by creating a drawing and painting workshop for children with the association’s art-therapists and it also presented the book “ I mercoledì di Lalla” (Lalla’s Wednesdays), an illustrated book addressing children and parents , as a way to reveal, to find the appropriate words that can explain prison and prison procedures to children. Milan, November 14th- 16th, 2014.
• Participation at the 2016 Philosophy Festival of Busto Arsizio, focused on the topic “Walls”. Bambinisenzssbarre was invited to a public debate about the parental role during detention (Busto Arsizio, VA, February 25th 2016).
• Public Hearing at the Prisons Commission of the Milan Municipality, to present the association’s story and activities, the Yellow Space working in the prisons of Milan, welcoming every year 5.000 children on everage, and the efforts for the implementation of the MoU guidelines (January 13rd 2016).
• Conference “Protection of children and teenagers in their visits in prison. A Research in Tuscany” organized in Florence by the Tuscany Region and the Istituto degli Innocenti, to present a local research on the impact of the prison in children and teenager psychophysical healthy. Lia Sacerdote, for Bambinisenzasbarre, presented the last data on the national Research “Children challenging prison”, on the penitentiary rules and practices affecting children and all the family relations. Florence, May 19th 2016.
• Public hearing at the European Parliament in Bruxelles. Lia Sacerdote, President of Bambinisenzasbarre, was invited together with the Head of the General Department of the Penitentiary Administration, Santi Consolo, to depict the work-path to the signing of the MoU, its results and progress. The hearing was the conclusive moment of the petition launched by the MEPs Intergroup for children rights in September 2016, to ask that the EU Commission would suggest to EU member countries the adoption of the Italian Memorandum as guideline, so to reach to protect the right of 1.5 million children of imprisoned parents in Europe (Written Declaration n.84/2016). Bruxelles, November 30th 2016.
• Intersessional briefing focused on the landmark Italian Memorandum of Understanding on the children of prisoners’ rights, with the Member States representatives of the Child Rights Connect Working Group on Children of Incarcerated Parents, organized by the United Nations Quacker Office, in Geneve. Lia Sacerdote, President of Bambinisenzasbarre, together with the Head of the Italian Penitentiar Administration, was invited to describe the work path toward the signing of the MoU. The briefing showcased the replicable good practice of the pioneering Italian Memorandum, a model adoptable by other Countries. UNO headquarter, Geneve, February 1st 2017.
• International Conference “Supporting children with imprisoned parents. A cross-sectoral approach benefiting all” organized by Bambinisenzasbarre and the COPE network, with the support of the Naples Municipality. The conference had the participation of 25 speakers from Italian and European Institutions and NGOs and an audience of more than 200 people. The participation to the Conference was officially accredited as Training day for all participant prison officers and students. Naples, Maschio Angioino Castle, May 19th-21st 2017.
• Bambinisenzasbarre one of the main speaker at the side event of the 2017 European Forum on the Rights of the Child, titled “Children deprived of their liberty and alternatives to detention” and focused on the Italian Memorandum of understanding as a model for other Countries. Other speakers invited were high level EU representatives as: Tiina Astola, Directorate-General Justice and Consumers, Vera Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, Member of the European Parliament, Co-chair of the Child Rights Intergroup in the European Parliament, Caterina Chinnici, Member of the European Parliament, Co-chair of the Child Rights Intergroup in the European Parliament, Manfred Nowak, Independent Expert leading the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty, Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children. Bruxelles, November 7th- 8th, 2017.

Advocacy and awareness raising Campaigns

European information campaign “Not my crime still my sentence” with COPE:

• June 2010 – first edition of the European advocacy campaign. All COPE members send a letter to the EU Commission demanding attention toward the situation experienced by all children separated by mothers or fathers in prison. Bambinisenzasbarre organizes the first Children Paintings Exhibition in Milan, “The Yellow Space goes to town” with a paintings made in prison by children awaiting for the family visit.
• June 2011 – 2nd awareness week on the rights of children and their impact with the prison system, promoted by Bambinisenzasbarre and Eurochips with the support of the Ministry of Justice, through the parallel campaign “Carceri aperte. Parliamone”(Open Prisons. Let us talk about) encouraging initiatives devoted to the children and to the families of imprisoned parents all over the country (parties, discussions, exhibitions) the whole month long.
• June 2012 – third edition of “Open prison: let’s talk about” with the cooperation of Italian Justice Ministry, fostering the organization of meetings, parties, drawing exhibitions, meetings in the schools, articles and interviews all over Italy on the specific issue of children with imprisoned parents and the right to keep the parental role in detention.
• June 2015 – 6th edition of the 1-month awareness raising campaign with initiatives supporting family relationships during detention and focusing on the child point of view, organized with the support of DAP (General Department of Penitentiary Administration). Parallel monthly program “Open Prisons”, with the dissemination of a poster and the video “800,000 voices” produced in collaboration with the European COPE network. Within the campaign Bambinisenzasbarre and all COPE members sent European Members of Parliament dozens of postcards with drawings and wishes of children with imprisoned parents.
• June 2016 – 7th edition of the campaign, Bambinisenzasbarre organizes in Milan the first informal meeting for prison officers from all over Italy aimed to exchange opinions, ideas and solution in the daily work of a prison officer with families and children.
•

Italian awareness raising campaign “The rights of the big start from the rights of the little”:

• December 2012 – first edition of the campaign, aimed to shed light on the discrimination and social alienation conditions affecting children of imprisoned parents. Within the campaign was held in the Teatro della Luna in Milan the Christmas piano concert of Stefano Bollani and the singer Irene Grandi in favor of Bambinisenzasbarre.
• November 2014 – the campaign is focused on the children rights, to create new yellow Spaces for the 90.000 children of imprisoned parents. The campaign started with the press conference “Adults’ rights start from children’s rights” at the European Commission of Milan, a location that highlights that Bambinisenzasbarre and its COPE network belong to Europe. During the campaign events, interventions and testimonies were broadcast on all national radio and television networks, in the week between 21 and 28 December 2014.
• November 2015 – the campaign went with a social sms fundraising campaign, aimed to make the public opinion understand the importance of recognizing and giving visibility to children whose parents are in prison; in collaboration with RAI Sociale, Sky TV , La 7 TV and the main national and local TV and radio networks (9-28 November 2015). Moreover with the support of the National Football League of Professionals B and with the patronage of the General Department of Prison Administration, from 31st October to 8th December 2015, 7 days of the national football league, 77 matches in 22 towns were involved in the Bambinisenzasbarre campaign. Simultaneously on 11th November was held the first edition of the “Game with dad”, the football match among detained fathers and children in all Italian prisons, with the presence of guest professional footballers. At San Vittore prison (football pitch Candido Cannavò) the match was refereed by Andrea Abodi, president of the National Football League of Professionals B.
• November 2017 – the campaign is focused on the 3rd edition of the Game with Dad, involving more almost 50 prisons all over Italy, with the participation of around 900 fathers in prison and more than 1000 children, who were authorized for this extraordinary event to enter inside the penitentiary areas and play football with their dad in prison, spending some enjoyable “peaceful” time with their dad, without the tightening presence of police officers. The Game with dad reached a growing attention from national and international media who are contributing to cast light on this issue.

Press conferences

• “Figli con genitori in carcere, un problema che coinvolge tutta la società” (Children with imprisoned parents, a problem affecting the entire society), held at San Vittore prison, Milan (2 February 2007).
• European press conference/debate: “I bambini invisibili, quando la relazione figli genitori passa attraverso il carcere” (Invisible children, when the children-parents relationship passes through the prison) held at San Vittore prison, Milan (8 May 2009).
• Presentation of the first Study on children and prisons carried out in Italy “When innocents are punished: the children of imprisoned parents. A vulnerable group” in partnership with: the Danish Institute for the Human Rights, the European Net Eurochips (France), the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland), the Second Chance Foundation (Poland). With the attendance of: Giuliano Amato, Past Prime Minister and President of the Committee for the Celebrations of the 150 years of the Italian unity; Sebastiano Ardita, Councillor, Detainees General Management and DAP treatment – Ministry of Justice; Mauro Palma, President of the European Commission for the prevention of the torture and member of the ethical committee of Bambinisenzasbarre; Luigi Marconi, President of the Association A buon diritto; Elias Kastner, President Ninos sin barreras (Spagna) and Eurochips Board (May 26th 2011, Rome, Foreign Press Head Quarter).
• Attendance and speech at the national meeting “Parenthood in prison and rights of the children of the detainees” Chamber Of Deputies, Rome – October 20th 2011.
• “Yellow space goes downtown: children at the prison’s proof”: Press conference for the presentation of the children care in prison,the “Spazio Giallo”, set in Bollate with the support of the Milan Municipality, and planned at Opera’s Prison. The main speakers: Giovanna Longo, vice-Superintendent of the Penitentiary Administration of Lombardy, Pierfrancesco Majorino, Town Concillor to the Social Politics and Health Culture of the Milan Municipality, Massimo Parisi, Manager of the Bollate Prison, Gianfranco Coletti, Supervisor of the Meeting Office at the Bollate Prison, Valerio Onida, Former President of the Constitutional Court, Claudia Mazzucato, Lecturer of Criminal Law at the Università Cattolica in Milan, Laura Formenti, Lecturer of the Family Education at the Università Bicocca in Milan, Lia Sacerdote, President of the Bambinisenzasbarre Association (Milan, January 25th 2012).
• “Candido Day”: presentation of social projects and initiatives of the Candido Cannavò Fundation, where Bambinisenzasbarre introduces the ‘Yellow Space, a child care model inside prison’(Milan, February 22nd 2012).
• “Children in prison: nonsuit for children”: Conference about the 2011 reformed law that should let children of detained mothers out the prison. Lecturers: the President of Minors Surveillance Tribunal, Justice Ministry and Judiciary representatives and lawyers comparing the old and the new law about children in prison with their mother (Milan, March 29th, 2012).
• Press conference/debate “Adults’ rights start from children’s rights”, at the venue of the European Commission of Milan, with the participation of Fabrizio Spada, European Commission Representation Chief, Lucia Castellano, Vice-President of Lombardy Prison Commission, Alessandra Naldi, prisoners’ Ombudsman for Milan City Council, Maria Visentini , Chief Inspector Opera Prison, Romano Madera, philosopher and psychoanalyst, Simona Mongiante, European Parliament Lawyer and Mediator’s office manager, and Patrizia Toia, Member of the European Parliament, moderator, Luciano Scalettari, correspondent of Famiglia Cristiana magazine. December 18th 2014.
• Participation to the press conference for the launch of the 8th CRC Report – monitoring the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Adolescent in Italy – at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in the presence of the Minister, Mr Poletti, who made his contribution after the speeches of Arianna Saulini , CRC group coordinator, Diego Cipriani, Caritas, Elena Innocenti, Fondazione Zancan. Several associations that are part of the network participated, including Bambinisenzasbarre. Rome, June 17th 2015.
• 4th Prison Theatre Festival “Try to Rise from the Ground”, promoted by Opera, Milan Prison and by Associazione Opera Liquida, in collaboration with Bambinisenzasbarre. Meeting/Conference: Prison as Opportunity? And theatre performances by prisoners and former prisoners of Opera Prison. Milan, 18th November- 3rd December 2015.
• Press Conference launching the National Sensitization Campaign ”Not My Crime, Still My Sentence -2014”, aimed to make the public at large understand the importance of recognizing and giving visibility to children whose parents are in prison and to their needs, without stigmatizing them for this reason. Speakers: Aldo Fabozzi, Director PRAP Lombardia, Teresa Mazzotta, Deputy Director of San Vittore Prison, Claudia Andreoli, Department for the Family, Social Solidarity and Voluntary Work, Lombardy Region, Andrea Abodi, President of The National Soccer League of Professionals, Novella Pellegrini General Secretary of Enel Cuore Onlus, Lia Sacerdote, President of Bambinisenzasbarre Onlus, Maldestro singer and author, testimonial of the Bambinisenzasbarre campaign. Moderator of the round table Alessandro Cannavò, chief editor Corriere della Sera newspaper. ( Milan, Provveditorato Regionale dell’amministrazione penitenziaria PRAP – Regional Prison Administration), November 11th 2015. Immediately afterwards, at the San Vittore Prison, Milan, was held the inauguration of the Yellow Space, which welcomes and gives support to children preparing for the visit with their imprisoned parent, the project is funded by Enel Cuore Onlus, with the participation of Ms Laura Coccia, Italian MP.
• Press conference for the opening of the new Yellow Space inside Opera prison, a bigger and more functional space to take care and give support to children entering every day in this big prison of Milan. The new Yellow Space is the result of a long analysis to find an efficient and innovative solution in the modular set and combined elements, offering a safe and protected environment to children in prison. At the press conference attended the Major of Opera town, Ettore Fusco, the Director of Opera Prison, Giacinto Siciliano, the Local Ombudsman Authority for Prisoners’ Rights, Donato Giordano, and the National Ombudsam for children rights. After the press conference was held the “Game with dad” the 2nd edition of the football match between detained fathers and their children inside the prison, at the presence of institutions and journalists. Opera Penitentiary Institute, December 16th 2016.

Art Exhibitions

• “I colori dei bambini in attesa di papà “dentro per lavoro” (“The colors of children waiting for their father “in prison for work”) – selection of drawings by children of the “Yellow Space” held at San Vittore prison (May 8th 2009).
• Art exhibition of painting and performance during the 2010 European Awareness Prisoners’children Week with the participation and performance of Roberto Piumini (children literature Italian writer). June 2010
• Painting workshop run by the Bambinisenzasbarre’s art-therapists about the prison as the place for the “adults who are mistaken, for Milan schools pupils (Milan, 6th June 2011).
• “Yellow Space goes downtown” paintings and drawings exhibition realized by children of imprisoned parents in the yellow spaces of Bollate and San Vittore prisons within the 2012 June sensitization Campaign (Milan, June 2012).
• “The Policeman and the Dinosaur”, exhibition at the European Commission of Milan of the drawings made by children and fathers taking part to the experimental project in Opera prison. An innovative project both in its structure and objectives, aimed to strengthens the bond between father and child, through the language of creativity and the instrument of drawing (Milan, December 2014)
• “Jail Expo”, participation in the products exhibition made by inmates of Bollate prison, with a collection of drawings and painting made by children in the Yellow Spaces inside the 3 Milan prisons. The exhibition was a parallel initiative of the EXPO 2015. Milan, May – October 2015.
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES

Workshops and lessons

 Series of meetings on mediation held by Jacqueline Morineau, followed by meetings on family rights and minor rights (2004).
 “La relazione familiare alla prova del carcere” (Familiar relationships put to the test of the prison) held at Le Stelline Conference Center in Milan, 9-10 September 2004, study workshop held by Professor Alain Bouregba (see publication edited by Bambinisenzasbarre, 2005).
 Workshop held by Professor Alain Bouregba at the headquarters of the Relais in Paris on the topic: “Quali competenze e quali metodologie sono necessarie per realizzare azioni di sensibilizzazione” (Which skills and methods are needed to put in place awareness-raising actions) (November 2004)
 Study day at the Università Statale of Milan “Figli di genitori detenuti, quali buone pratiche per sostenere la relazione” (Children of imprisoned parents, the good practices to support the bond) (February 2nd, 2007).
 Study seminar “Genitorialità e carcere” (Parental role and prison) held at Le Stelline Conference Center in Milan – October 26th, 2007 by Professor Alain Bouregba.
 “Figli e genitori ancora, il ruolo degli operatori penitenziari: quale sostegno possibile alla relazione figlio/genitore detenuto”(Children and parents, again. The role of penitentiary workers: which support can be given to the imprisoned parent/child relationship), at the prison of Milano Bollate, workshop held by Professor Alain Bouregba (November 7th, 2008)
 Speech at the Eurochips International Meeting “Yellow Space, a resilience “tool” for children with imprisoned parents”, Barcelona, May 13th 2011.
 Bambinisenzasbarre speaker at the meeting “Local Authorities, Prison and Welfare System: Roster and competences of the Region and of the Local Authorities on the subject of the problems related to the detention and to the social reintegration of the detainee” Lombardy Regional Council, Milan. June 6th 2011.
 Bambinisenzasbarre lecturer at the seminar: “Safeguard, welcome and welfare of the detainees’ children” held at the prison of Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi (Avellino), July 4th 2011.
 Bambinisenzasbarre speaker at the international meeting “Children of Incarcerated Parents” organized by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child held in the United Nations Building in Geneva with the collaboration of the Università Cattolica of Milan (“Build and rebuild bonds between incarcerated parents and children: the right to the ongoing company of the family”) September 29th – October 1st 2011.
 Workshop with 2 classes of a primary school of Milan with art-therapists on the issue of the separation and the being far away from the family (June 4th -5th 2012)
 Attendance to “4th International meeting on Welfare Quality. Minor’s tutelage. Best relationship practices”: training meeting of high level addressed to coordinators and social workers, psychologists, professional educators, teachers and operators of Juvenile Court, organized by Eriksson Studies Center, Riva del Garda (Trento), November 8th -10th 2012.
 Training day for the 56 new prison officers at the Police school in Verbania on the topic of parenthood and of the presence of children in prison, at the invitation of the Director, General Audo Vicenzi, (June 5th 2014) .
 Speaker at the conference organized by the Prisoners’ Ombundsman of Puglia “Children and Parents: prison sentences” with the participation of the president of Puglia’s Regional Council Mario Lorizzo, the president of Puglia’s Regional Government Michele Emiliano, the Local Ombundsman for persons deprived of freedom, Piero Rossi, Rosy Paparella, Local Ombudsman for Children Rights, and the President of Bambinisenzasbarre, Lia Sacerdote (Fiera Levante, Bari, September 14th, 2014).
 Conference speech in Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna, “Prison to the Proof of Children. The welcoming model Yellow Space to preserve the relationship between children and imprisoned parents”, addressed to teachers, October 18th-19th , 2014.
 3 Training Seminars for Penitentiary officers at the Penitentiary Administration School Giovanni Falcone, in Rome, attended by 90 new inspectors from central and southern Italy at the end of their course: “How security and quality of the meeting can be combined”. Rome, November 4th-5th , 2014.
 Speaker at the workshop “For some more meters and some more love” , organized by Ristretti Orizzonti, in collaboration with Padova’s Correctional Institution. Bambinisenzasbarre presented the Memorandum of Understanding-Charter of the children of prisoners’ rights, which acknowledges that these minors have a right to an emotional and continuing bond with their imprisoned parent and reaffirms that the latter has a right to play his/her parental role, therefore commits the penitentiary system to a new welcoming culture, which accepts the presence of blameless children, who are however victims of social disgrace. Padova, December 1st 2014.
 Session in the training course under the Penitentiary Administration of Emilia Romagna Region addressed to 60 prisons officers and social workers, at the presence of representative of the Local Institutions Representatives. Bologna, January 22nd 2015.
 Session in the training course “Supervisory judges: only guarantors of legality , or promoters of the rehabilitative function of the sentence?”, addressed to Italian Surveillance judges, organized by the Superior Higher School for Magistrates. Scandicci (FI), January 28th-30th 2015.
 Lecture Children’s Rights given by Bambinisenzasbarre under invitation of the General Department for Family policies of the Pistoia Municipality, within the program of information meeting for parents and teachers in Pistoia area, on the topic of childhood at risk. February 27th 2015, Villa Baldi Papini, Pistoia.
 Participation in the international conference Children of Prisoners Europe, the 2015 COPE Annual Conference in which Bambinisenzasbarre presented the report “Memorandum of Understanding, the Charter of prisoners’ children, one year later” favoring actions to extend the Charter guidelines to all European countries, Stockholm, May 21st-24th 2015.
 9th European Pro Bono Forum, taking place in Italy for the first time, a crucial conference for the promotion of pro bono legal work In Italy and Europe, with the participation of lawyers, NGO’s, law professors and students. Bambinisenzasbarre took part at the table: Preventive detention and Family Law in Italy, Rome, November 12th 2015.
 Study day “Family trauma. When parental relationship passes through prison” with the participation of Lucia Carli (Department of Psychology Università Mi-Bicocca), Susanna Mantovani (Department Educational Sciences Università Mi-Bicocca, Lia Sacerdote (Bambinisenzasbarre), Lucia Castellano (Vice president Prison Commission Lombardy), Lucy Gampell (President of the COPE network – Children of Prisoners Europe, London), Vincenzo Spadafora (National Ombudsman for Childhood and Adolescence), Luisa Della Rosa (Clinical Director of Center for Trauma Treatment, Milano), Silvia Vadalè (Centro per la Cura del Trauma di Milano), Daniela Ambrosi (Centro per la Cura del Trauma). November 13th 2015, Università degli Studi Milano-Bicocca.
 Training meeting “The Milan Charter and the weight of words – Information gets into the prison: minors, within and without walls” – Grottammare (AP), promoted by the Journalists’ Association of Marche region and IO E CAINO, periodical of Ascoli Piceno prison, with the participation of Lia Sacerdote (November 21st 2015).
 “On the Rights of Man and Children” seminar on human rights for 9 secondary schools of Alto Varesotto (about 500 people including students, teachers, families and operators), within the project “Citizenship and Constitution” with interventions by Maria Luisa Inversini, president of the Commission for the acknowledgement of Milan’s international protection, on the issue of migrants, Walter Veltroni – politician, writer, film director – on the questions touched upon in his film “Children know”, Lia Sacerdote, president of Bambinisenzasbarre (Gavirate, Va), 23rd November 2015.
 “General assembly on sentence enforcement” : a six-month-long debate promoted by the Ministry of Justice in order to define a new model of sentence enforcement and a better and more efficient culture of prison, which can renovate and improve the rules and practices of those who work in prison and for those who are confined there. The public debate induced by the General assembly was focused on the necessity to move from an exclusive attention to the collective security to the possibility of positive re-entering in the society, for offenders who served the sentence. 18 thematic tables were organized on specific focus, involving prison police, educators, social workers, management and coordination of the penitentiary system. Bambinisenzasbarre took part in Table 6: “The world of affection and territorial-based sentence” (May- November 2015).

Training sessions for prison officers and social workers

 “Anche gli affetti sono in catene. Il tutor/volontario nel sostegno della relazione familiare e affettiva” (Feelings are enchained too. The tutor/volunteer supporting the affective and familiar relationship) (October 03-February 04).
 “Essere volontari all’interno di un’Istituzione totale: difficoltà e pregiudizi. La realtà del carcere e il volontariato” (Being a volunteer in a total institution: difficulties and prejudices. The reality of prison and voluntary work) (November 04-March 05).
 “Buon…uscita: sostenere le dimissioni dal carcere protette dal lavoro di rete” (Going out, for good: how to support the dismissal from the prison protected by the network) (October 06-May 07).
 Workshop in San Vittore Prison – Milan “Prison is ready to welcome children? Practices, Witnesses, Perspectives”. The Local Penitentiary Administration of Lombardy Region attends the European Awareness Week with the training workshops addressed to the whole staff of the region (June 8th 2011).
 With the collaboration of the Local Penitentiary Administration of Lombardy Region, starting of a two-year program of thematic Workshops focused on how to take care of children in prison and to settle good practices for the penitentiary officers. The course was unfolded on sessions of 2 days each, every month. Addressed to the penitentiary operators of Milan, Brescia, Bergamo, Monza, Lecco, Como, Pavia, Vigevano (2011/2012).
 Second cycle of training program for prison officers and social workers in the 19 prisons of Lombardy Region: this is the most important result afterwards the publication of the European Research on Children and Prison, carried with the COPE network. The program titled “How to combine the security and welcoming children visiting prison” was organized with the collaboration of the Local Penitentiary Administration of Lombardy Region and the sessions were hold in its headquarter in Milan (January-March 2012).
 2 day-training “Impact with the prison: relational aspects of welcoming children and families” devoted to volunteer operators in Modena. Objective of the training was to prepare a staff for a new “Yellow Space” where to give support to children and families in the Modena prison. Organized by Centre for Volunteers in Modena-CVS (Modena, November 13th – 20th 2012).
 Conference in Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna, speech “Prison to the Proof of Children”, the children-care model “Yellow Space” to preserve the relationship between children and imprisoned parents. Addressed to school teachers, October 18th-19th 2014.
 3 Training Seminars for 90 new prison police inspectors at the Penitentiary Administration Training School Giovanni Falcone, in Rome. Final session of their training program “How security and quality of the meeting can be combined”. Rome, November 4th – 5th 2014.
 Intervention in the training course “Supervisory judges: only guarantors of legality , or promoters of the rehabilitative function of the sentence?”, addressed to Italian supervisory judges, organized by Scuola Permanente Superiore della Magistratura (Permanent Higher Magistrates’ School), Scandicci (FI), 28-30 January 2015.
 ”Not My Crime, Still My Sentence”, conference on the rights of prisoners’ children and their protection, organized within the master degree course of “Instructional Design in the services for minors”, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Università Cattolica of Piacenza, December 11th 2015.
 Training day “Combine safety and quality of the family visit”, focused on the share of ideas and best practices on new rules to treat and manage the access of children in prison for the family visits. Addressed to police officers from the 14 prisons of the Piedmont Region, and organized with the collaboration of the Local Penitentiary Administration of Piedmont Region. Turin, April 13rd 2016.
 “Children challenging prison. How comes the answer of the penitentiary police”, first national informal seminar for prison officers working in the family visits Section of prisons and ruling the access of children. The Seminar was intended to share experience in the daily application of the guidelines of the MoU, and was held in the Opera prison, within the 2016 European information campaign “Not my crime, still my sentence”. 30 police officers from 6 different Regions of Italy took part to the meeting. Milan, June 26th 2016.
 Bambinisenzasbarre invited to contribute to the training course organized by the psychologists association “Work in progress” for prison officers and social workers in the prison of Lucera (FG), on the topic “Security rules and quality of the family meeting in prison how to combine them”. Lucera, October 24th – 25th 2017.
 Bambinisenzasbarre is assigned by the Ministry of Justice-General Department of the Penitentiary Administration to carry the first national training course for prison officers titled “Security rules and quality of the family meeting in prison how to combine them”, addressed to 100 police officers selected from all Italian prisons. Rome, December 13rd-14th 2017 and January 17th-18th 2018.
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PUBLICATIONS

• Various authors (2002) “Il tempo e lo spazio della relazione figli/genitori in carcere” (“Time and space of the imprisoned parents/children relationship”) – pages 126.
• Various authors (2003) “Genitori oltre le sbarre” Testimonianze di padri e madri detenuti (“Parents beyond the bars” Real experiences by imprisoned fathers and mothers – pages 64.
• A. Bouregba (2005) “I legami familiari alla prova del carcere” (“Familiar bonds put to the test of the prison”) – pages 126.
• Various authors (2007) “Figli di genitori detenuti- prospettive europee di buone pratiche” (“Children of imprisoned parents – European perspectives of good practices”) – pages 144.
• Various authors (2008) “I diritti dell’infanzia e dell’adolescenza in Italia” – 4° Rapporto di aggiornamento sul monitoraggio della Convenzione sui Diritti dell’Infanzia e dell’Adolescenza in Italia (“The rights of childhood and adolescence in Italy” – 4th Updating report on the monitoring of the Convention on Childhood and Adolescence Rights in Italy) – (2007-2008) Chapter IV edited by Bambinisenzasbarre.
• Various authors (2009) “I diritti dell’infanzia e dell’adolescenza in Italia” – 5° Rapporto di aggiornamento sul monitoraggio della Convenzione sui Diritti dell’Infanzia e dell’Adolescenza in Italia (The rights of childhood and adolescence in Italy” – 5th Updating report on the monitoring of the Convention on Childhood and Adolescence Rights in Italy) (2008-2009) Chapter V edited by Bambinisenzasbarre.
• Various authors (2009) “Spazio giallo. Colori senza sbarre” (Yellow Space. Colors without bars) 16 p.
• P. Melli and L. Sacerdote, “I mercoledì di Lalla” (Lalla’s Wednesday) an illustrated book devoted to the parents and their children as guide to find “the words to say” the reality of their father’s or mother’s detention. 24 p. (April 2011).
• “Children of imprisoned parents” contribution for the ‘glossy’ version of the research led in Europe by the Danish Institute for the Human Rights, the European Web Eurochips (France), University of Ulster (Northern-Ireland), the Second Chance Foundation (Poland) and Bambinisenzasbarre (Italy) – 48 p. (May 2011).
• “Children of imprisoned parents” Italian chapter for the ‘total’ research led in Europe by the Danish Institute for the Human Rights, the European Web Eurochips (France), University of Ulster (Northern-Ireland), the Second Chance Foundation (Poland) and Bambinisenzasbarre (Italy) – 280 p. (May 2011).
• “The prison at the children proof” the results of the research led in 213 Italian prisons between 2009 and 2010 and a short history of the Italian prisons, from the unity of Italy to today – 76 p. (May 2011).
• Alain Bouregba (2011) – “When the parent is in prison, the effect on the child” acts of the workshop “Parenthood and Prison”, Centro Congressi Stelline, Milan, October 26th 2007, 44 p. (May 2011).
• Alain Bouregba (2011) – “Children and parents nevertheless” collection of the acts of workshops in Italy, from 2005 to 2009, 32 p. (May 2011).
• Lia Sacerdote, under the care of “Remaining father beyond the prison” witnesses of the parenthood of the Word-Group of Fathers led by Bambinisenzasbarre in the Bollate prison – 2010-2011 (May 2011).
• Lia Sacerdote, “Children of imprisoned parents. Social prevention, care and formation” abstract of a formal proposal and of sensitization actions about the children of imprisoned parents devoted to the prison’ operators, the school’ operators and the professionals of the education (May 2011).
• “The Right to Be a Man. A World Anthology of Freedom”, published by Bambinisenzasbarre and Mimesis Edition. A reprint of the book on human rights, published by UNESCO in 1968 and reissued in Italy with a cover by the Italian illustrator Altan and a preface by Senator Luigi Manconi, President of the Extraordinary Commission for the protection and the promotion of human rights. The book is a collection of texts and documents from different cultures, concerning human dignity, the rights of the individual and the limits and responsibilities of public authorities. (2015)
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DOCUMENTARIES AND SHORT MOVIES

• Jasminka” short movie about family rejoining between a mother detenee in S.Vittore’s prison and her sons, under the care of Bambinisenzasbarre. 6’ (2007).
• “Spazio Giallo, i bambini senza le sbarre” (“Yellow Space, children without bars) by Cesare Cicardini, 5’ DVD (2009).
• “Porterai il mio nome” (“You will carry my name”) reduction of the Belgian original documentary (directed by S. Verkindere and edited by Relais Enfants Parents and Houtman Foundation) dubbed in Italian by Bambinisenzasbarre, 20’ DVD (2009).
• “Spazio Giallo: educare gli agenti ai bambini. Un luogo di Life Long Learning in carcere, perché i genitori sono dentro” (“Yellow Space, training agents to children. A Life Long Learning place in prison, because parents are inside”) by Cesare Cicardini (1’). From an idea of Bambinisenzasbarre realised inside the Grundtvig European program, special merit award (September 8th 2010, Firenze).
• “Trovo papà. La funzione affettiva dei luoghi” (Finding daddy, the emotional function of places). The welcoming model for children coming to prison in visit: the map, edited for children, guiding them from the first prison gate to the meeting room, by Bambinisenzasbarre. 3’(2012).
• “Not my crime, still my sentence” video clip on the children of imprisoned parents. Realized for TV sensitization campaigns, 50’’ December 2012 .
• “Children challenging prison”, directed by Cesare Cicardini (2’30”) for the promotion of the Yellow Space, a space of relationship between children and imprisoned parents. The video shows the steps a child has to overcome form the entrance to the encounter with dad in prison. 2’ 30’’, December 2014.
• “Children challenging Prison”, director’s cut of the previous video realized for the national TV awareness raising campaign. Directed by Cesare Cicardini, voiceover Lella Costa, Italian actress, 30” December 2014.
• “800,000 voices” animation video produced in collaboration with the European COPE network, in which children of imprisoned parents express their wishes and fears when they enter in a prison to meet a parent. Distributed during the 2015 European Information campaign and dubbed in 5 different languages. 2’ June 2015.
• “The sentence seen from the prison”: prisoners’ thoughts on the topics of the General assembly on sentence enforcement and the family and parental relations after the capture and during the detention. Directed by Bambinisenzasbarre, one of the member of the table 6, about “The world of affection and territorial-based sentence” 17’ (Opera, Milan prison, 7th – 20th November 2015).
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REWARDS

• “Friend of the Family Prize” for the ‘Yellow Space’ for children in prison, as “projects of excellence”, by the Premiership of the Cabinet, Department of the Family Politics. (November 2009)
• Support and Patronage of the Italian Justice Ministry for the “Children of imprisoned parents”, the first European Research led in Europe by the Danish Institute for the Human Rights and carried out in Italy by Bambinisenzasbarre (2011).
• Patronage of the committee for the celebrations of the 150 years of the Unity of Italy for the publication of the book “The Prison at the children proof” containing a chapter devoted to the history of the Italian prisons from the Italian Unity till today. An exhibition of all the printed outcomes, including Bambinisenzasbarre’s research book, was hold in Rome, with an opening ceremony in presence of the President of the Italian Republic, Mr Giorgio Napolitano (March 17th 2012).
• Special Merit Award for the short movie “Yellow Space, training agents to children. A Life Long Learning place in prison”, directed by Cesare Cicardini, from a Bambinisenzasbarre idea and realized inside the Grundtvig European program (September 8th 2010, Firenze).
• Charity concert in favor of Bambinisenzasbarre of La Scala Philarmonic Orchestra, Director Riccardo Chailly, piano Stefano Bollani at the La Scala Theater of Milan. The association run a purchaise ticket campaign aimed to raise attention on the rights of children with imprisoned parents. Tickets went sold out 2 months before the concert (Milan, April 21st 2012)
• Premio Basile (Basile Award) by AIF, the Association of the Italian Trainers of the Public Administration, for the continuing education commitment showed through the courses for prison officers, teachers and social workers from all the penitentiary institutes of Lombardia Region (September 2013).
• Premio Verdigi (Verdigi Award) by the Domenico Verdigi Organization for the project “Yellow Space System in Tuscany” which was valued as particularly meritorious project in the protection of the childhood (November 24th 2017).
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