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FrancoAngeli Journals

Studies and research

No. 296 (2021): Italia Contemporanea - Sezione Open Access "In rete"

The Foster Parents’ Plan: The “Invention” of Child Sponsorship and the Beginnings of Its Activity in Italy

  • Silvia Cassamagnaghi
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/ic296-oa2
Submitted
luglio 28, 2021
Published
2021-09-23

Abstract

The Foster Parents’ Plan was established in 1937, with the aim of supporting children victims
of the Spanish Civil War. The initial idea was of an English war correspondent, who wanted
to create “personal ties” between refugee and orphaned children and their benefactors, thus
creating one of the very first “child sponsorship” experiments. “Adoptive parents” financially
supported the children and maintained contacts with them through the exchange of letters.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, the Fpp extended its aids to children from
other countries and, at the end of the conflict, looked after thousands of young Europeans
in situations of poverty and hardship. The Plan arrived in Italy to stay in 1947 and its first
activities were aimed at children who were admitted in institutions and who had suffered
serious physical impairments due to the war. In order to be able to deal with the most urgent
cases and have a direct contact with the country’s situation, the Fpp initially sought the
support of institutions already working in Italy. However, starting from the early 1950s, the
Plan began to operate with greater autonomy, also thanks to its proven organizational skills.

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