Vulnerable families and children exposed to the Cobra Effect: insights from a positive and normative analysis

Abstract

Vulnerability can manifest itself in society through multiple dimensions that are not always only economic. Poverty, marginality or socio-economic vulnerability if not adequately countered through careful policies can be the determinants of deviant systemic behaviour. The aim of the work concerns the study of a particular population, that of minors placed outside their families of origin and received in foster families and residential services. The aspects of interest concern: i. The analysis of existing official sources; ii. The analysis of data with methods capable of bringing out territorial gaps and marginalities; iii. The normative analysis, with reference to ministerial guidelines. Critical issues emerge with regard to sources, both because of the endemic nature of the phenomenon and because of the availability of data that is mostly administrative in nature. With regard to the phenomenon, however, important territorial gaps are observed that also depend on the regional competence of intervention policies and, in many contexts, there are contrasts with ministerial guidelines that seem to suggest a failure of public policies. Are we facing to the cobra effect?