ESN member, ABC Brain Injured Children Association empowers brain injured children and their families to actively shape their lives. It aims to change the narrative around disability, promote social inclusion, and enhance the overall quality of life of the children and families it seeks to support.
Implementing the principle of “nothing about us without us and our families”, the Italian association leads initiatives and activities to promote, plan and organise training opportunities for school staff, professional operators and other social and institutional actors supporting children with disabilities.
ABC Brain Injured Children Association is a strong advocate of shifting from care in institutional settings to finding community-based solutions which put children and families at the core of its activities, to find together personalised and co-designed interventions.
“We advocate for a social transition that replaces all forms of segregation and moves towards a definitive de-institutionalisation of people with disabilities, promoting personalised services embedded in societies.” – Marco Espa, President, ABC Brain Injured Children Association, Italy.
Despite serious brain damage, Marie Antoinette was successfully integrated in public school system in Quartu Sant’Elena (Cagliari) thanks to personalised programmes and interventions. With the support of home educators and in collaboration with her parents, Marie graduated from high school. Today, she lives in her own home and manages her day-to-day life with the assistance of personalised services.
Watch the personal stories of other children and their families supported by ABC here.