The role of volunteer guardians as a key actor in providing social protection for unaccompanied minors in Italy

Abstract

This article analyses the impact of the volunteer guardian role, as stipulated in Italy's Law no. 47/2017, on the reception of unaccompanied minors. The research, spanning 50 months from March 2018 to May 2019, focused on the metropolitan area of Rome. A combination of methodological tools, including participant observation, questionnaires, qualitative interviews, and focus groups, was employed to ensure comprehensive data collection. The research findings delineate the responsibilities of volunteer guardians, encompassing legal representation, educational support, and networking within the established system. Furthermore, the results integrate the perspectives of social workers and minors regarding the guardian's evolving role and elucidate the nature of relationships formed between these stakeholders. The involvement of multiple decision-makers in the child's life, including voluntary guardians, social workers, foster care professionals, and juvenile judges, results in a diverse allocation of responsibilities and roles. These are continuously negotiated as part of a shared responsibility with a variable geometry.