This service is aimed at families who are are looking for targeted and personalised support.
We provide access to resources and expertise for a path towards development that is harmonious and balanced.
Our commitment is long-term: we support children and their families over time, ensuring continuity and flexibility in response to the changing needs that may arise along the way.
1 – scheduling of meetings: We organise meetings on a regular basis, every 2–3 months, tailored to the needs of each child. Initially an interview is conducted medical history with the family and subsequently the child is observed from the perspective of the stages of motor development, of cognitive, linguistic and communicative-relational skills. During the observation, the essential data are recorded in an observation form, so that they can subsequently be used to write a report.
2 – Sharing information: During the observation, we answer the family’s questions and provide guidance on how to improve the child’s motor, cognitive and communicative-linguistic development. We also liaise with local professionals (schools, therapists, doctors, etc.) to share our recommendations and identify common educational strategies. Where necessary, we provide referrals for specialist consultations, thereby creating a collaborative network.
3 – Active monitoring: The counselling does not end with the initial consultation, but continues over time with follow-up sessions tailored to the family’s needs. The child’s progress is monitored over the following months, involving therapists, the school and family members through active and transparent collaboration. We monitor the therapeutic programmes and, if necessary, identify any additions or adjustments to adapt them to emerging needs and optimise the child’s overall development.
Psychiatric counselling is aimed at all young adults and adults who experience distress, emotional difficulties or behavioural issues dysfunctional in various contexts of life.
Consultation with a psychiatrist, in continuity with the role of the Child Neuropsychiatrist, aimed at reaching the older age, aims to ensure a state of well-being necessary for the realisation of the project for life.
The aim of the intervention is to distinguish between psychopathological symptoms that require intervention – sometimes pharmacological – and situations where distress is, instead, a response to dysfunctional life circumstances, in which case it is necessary to try to bring about change.
Psychiatric counselling is part of a team work in which, through individual consultations, direct observation in situations and meetings within the network both with the family as well as with other key figures, it is possible to assesses situations of distress that arisen in one or more contexts of life.
At the end of the assessment processa targeted intervention is proposed either on the individual or on the environment to restore a state of well-being perceived and a satisfactory inclusion in society.
In recent years, there has been a growing demand for support and assistance for adults with Down’s syndrome who were not previously supported by the association.
Some are families who have been members for some time, whilst others contact us seeking answers to specific issues that have arisen recently.
The pathways and their respective objectives differ significantly depending on the particular stage of life of the person.
If, for a young adult it is a case of developing a plan aimed at ensuring the best possible quality of life through pathways that are inclusive, for those of advanced age the project aims to maintain the level of functioning and participation previously achieved, when changes come due to specific personal issues or context of life (often the request for help actually comes from siblings who support parents who are old or have passed away).
The care of adult individuals requires a careful assessment which includes the personal history and the family history, the drafting of a profile of current cognitive functioning compared with the past (as described by family members in the absence of previous assessments), of adaptive skills and of activities involving participation.
For those people who are over the age of 35 years, a medical and psychiatric assessment must be added, in order to carry out an assessment of health and for the early detection of deterioration. Whether structural and/or organisational changes within the family and social systems, whether factors of a personal nature may, in fact, determine a distress which is manifested often in a manner that is not clearly defined, with symptoms that lend themselves to various interpretations.
At the end of the programme, work-related and rehabilitative activities are offered aimed at meeting the needs emerging needs and improve the quality of life and the well-being perceived.
From the very first introductory meeting the association offers to the family a support so that the person who is taken into care can realise their own potential for development.
In each stage of the life every family finds itself having to face daily challenges, moments of difficulty and the fear of not being able to achieve those goals and that peace of mind to which he has devoted so much effort.
To provide a space for listening and for sharing. Providing support through practical and actionable guidance is a crucial step in ensuring that everyone is involved and that their life plans come to fruition.
Through regular meetings, using the tool of the clinical interview, we offer to families a space for co-construction to support the project of life of the person.
PIC EO (acronym for: Passion Involement Creativity Emotions Originality) is the artistic laboratory of the Association.
The laboratory was established in 2006 to offer to people with Down’s syndrome an opportunity to enhance their independence, of creativity and of work-related skills, through the development of artistic and craft activities.
Today there is a group of young adults aged between 20 and 35 years old, who are not in employment and who are not receiving support through welfare or social welfare programmes. The activities which they carry out aim to develop and enhance their their specific expressive and creative abilities and their
transversal skills , to promote also their professional development.
• Involve the individual in the entire creative process, from design to production, ensuring they remain actively engaged throughout.
• Learn new techniques.
• Develop the ability to incorporate the various decorative elements in a way that is harmonious and balanced.
• Take greater responsibility for completing a specific task assigned, adhering to deadlines and rules of a technical/operational nature.
• Encourage the ability to work together with colleagues.
• Encourage behaviour and attitudes that are appropriate to the fact that one is in a workshop/shop.
The activities of the PIC EO Laboratory are designed to adapt to needs and to individual preferences of participants. Each session involves various forms of art, such as painting, sculpture, music, illustration and more still.
We work together with experts in the field of the arts to provide guidance and inspiration, ensuring that every experience is stimulating and meaningful.
The infant massage programme of A.I.M.I. (Italian Association of Infant Massage) represents an experience of affectionate contact which strengthens significantly the bond between parents and children.
The massage is aimed at families with children aged age 0–12 months.
It is not a specific technique, but rather a way of communicating, which has positive impact on the development and growth of girls and of boys is widely supported by scientific research.
Infant massage is a tool that every parent can learn easily.
Through the massage, we help to support, protect and stimulate the growth and health of every child.
The course is divided into 5 sessions held weekly, each lasting for about an hour and a half, in small groups or one-to-one.
During the sessions, as well as learning the sequence of the massage, the parents discuss issues relating to the 0-12 months age group.
Throughout the year, we organise social gatherings for families, staff, volunteers, and supporters of the Association.
The main objective is to empower the families and the members involved and participating in the life of the association, promoting mutual understanding between the families and building a network of friendship and support for the benefit of everyone.
The main events aimed at families are three:
1 – Spring Festival: Usually held in early June, the “Festa di Primavera” was the first social event organised by Trisomia 21 aps; an opportunity to catch up before the summer holidays and enjoy a pleasant and fun day out. The event is aimed not only at families but also at staff, supporters and institutions. There are many activities on offer, including a stall selling handmade creations from our PIC EO art laboratory and a theatrical preview by the Teatrallegria group.
2 – National Day for people with Down’s syndrome: The National Day falls on the second Sunday in October. We usually organise activities to raise funds and raise awareness, aimed at raising awareness within the community on Trisomy 21. Here families can actively participate in the dissemination of the message promoting a more equitable and inclusive society.
3 – Open Day: The last event of the year, designed specifically to wish us all the best before the holidays. Just like the Spring Festival, the Open Day is designed to welcome families, volunteers, staff, supporters and institutions. The event is packed with activities and moments of socialising.
At the headquarters of the Association, we are committed to offering activities aimed at cognitive enhancement also to adults with Down’s syndrome, through an approach derived from interventions initially designed for children.
Our activities, whether in groups or individually, aim to enhance cognitive skills and to promote the prevention of senile dementia.
We have set up a professional kitchen fully equipped, recognised as a psycho-social healthcare service by the Tuscany Region.
Our goals include:
Rehabilitation workshop: Aimed at those with greater difficulties, whether in terms of skills or in terms of emotional emotional and psychological distress. The manipulation of food and the management of a home environment in daily life act as a therapeutic lever, contributing to the improvement of psychological well-being and to reduction in the use of medicines such as anxiolytics or sleeping pills.
Social Rehabilitation workshop: Aimed at achieving the maximum independence possible.
Workshop for employment support: Focused on developing the skills needed for employment, integrated into individual occupational therapy programmes.
Workshop on rehabilitation for the prevention of senile dementia: This workshop, is designed for people over 35 years of age, represents a crucial preventive measure against premature ageing.
The activity takes place in a group setting, supported by two educators, once a week.
During the time set aside for the activity, the group prepares a full lunch: a starter, a main course and a dessert, paying particular attention to everyone’s dietary requirements.
The menu, agreed upon with the staff, is then served to the staff at the end of the day.
The project is aimed at the girls and the boys in secondary schools of the second stage who, during their schooling, begin to undertake experiences as part of PCTO (Pathway on Transversal Skills and Guidance).
The Association works in partnership with the School and the Social Workers throughout the entire process.
Specifically there are three main goals:
The programme includes a variable number of meetings with the staff of the Work Group (psychologist and educator) based on the information already held by the Association and is divided into various stages:
1. The first stage involves a discussion on these topics:
2. The second stage involves the assessment of specific skills and transversal skills, as well as the professional competencies acquired.
3. The third stage involves a presentation to the young man or to the young woman of the various professional profiles, which emerge from the review of the meetings held together, and finally the drafting of the curriculum vitae.
The theatre is a powerful platform for expression and inclusion, offering a common ground on which people can express their own individuality and celebrate the successes achieved as protagonists of the performances.
Our current project, launched around 10 years ago, involves 15 people with Down’s syndrome, offering a meaningful experience of growth and collective expression.
The primary aim is to create a space in which boys and girls with Down’s syndrome can share moments together, express themselves and find fulfilment in the leading roles in theatrical performances.
Through the performing arts, we promote self-esteem and awareness of one’s own abilities.
Since 2017, our theatre project has embarked on a new direction under the guidance of Massimo Bonechi, a highly experienced professional director.
This collaboration has further enriched the workshop, providing an artistic and professional approach that has helped to develop the participants’ theatrical skills.
The director has opened up new horizons, making the performances not only a moment of personal expression but also an opportunity for artistic and personal growth.
The group of actors, as well as being performers, actively contribute to every stage of the production.
Social activities