Embracing Love and Support: Neurodivergent Ukrainian boy Adapts to Life in Italy
- Oksana Blyskun
- Jan 7, 2024
- 4 min read
In the midst of the turmoil and uncertainty caused by the war in Ukraine, many families found themselves seeking refuge in other countries. Among them is Olga, a resilient Ukrainian woman, who embarked on a courageous journey with her family, including her son with autism, to Italy. Their destination, the picturesque town of Scalea, not only offered a safe haven but also extended a heartwarming embrace to the newcomers.
In this article, we delve into Olga's remarkable story of resilience, hope, and the unwavering support she and her family received from the compassionate residents of Scalea. Despite the challenges they faced, Olga's son has found a place in a regular school, thanks to the inclusive environment fostered by the community. Moreover, the Italian state's provision of material and social support has been instrumental in helping Olga and her family rebuild their lives.
Join me as I explore the touching narrative of Olga's experience and how autistic Ukrainian boy adapts to life in Italy, her gratitude towards the Italian town of Scalea, and the profound sense of protection and acceptance she has found in her new home...
On 24.02.22, like many Ukrainians, my family was forced to leave their home and country to escape the war. Before the war we had been to Italy many times and loved it dearly, and my mother had lived in Italy for 20 years. We had no doubt that Italy was the country that would give us shelter.
When we entered Italian territory, I immediately felt safe and, most importantly, we were able to take my son out of a country at war. The greatest fear of all parents is the fear that you will not have time or be able to help your child.
Everywhere we went, to the shop, the pharmacy, for a walk... all the Italians talked about the horrors that were happening in my country. When they found out that we were from Ukraine, they all tried to help us and expressed their sympathy.
We got the protection status and all the documents without any problems.
My son's name is Mylan and he was 8 years old when the war started.
As Mylan has autism, I planned for him to go to school from the age of 8. According to Ukrainian legislation, children with special developmental needs have the right to pre-school education until the age of 8. In our case, it was a Children's Centre for Development and Correction that I opened specifically for my son's needs. I had to combine my main job as a lawyer with studying and working in the development and correction centre where my son was studying.
Since no one knew when the war would end, we decided that Mylan would start school in Italy on 1 September. It was absolutely unclear and frightening how the adaptation of the child would go without me, without knowledge of the language, in a class with many children.
Italy is one of the few countries where children with different complexity of developmental features attend regular schools, there are no separate specialised institutions, remedial classes or home schooling for them, and I believe that this is an ideal educational system for children with neurotypical development, as they have an opportunity to transfer the acquired skills in real life, not only at home or in an environment with similar children.
In Ukraine there is inclusive education at the legislative level, but unfortunately it is only the outline of this system and in practice it does not work yet.
In Italy, children with special developmental needs are provided with a personal assistant who accompanies the child when attending educational institutions, depending on the degree of need, either all the time at school or for certain hours.
Mylan also has such an assistant, they immediately became friends, thanks to her my son's adaptation to school was easier than I thought, but not without difficulties of course.
I would like to note the attitude of the children in the class towards my son, he is sometimes a bit of a bully... the children are very warm and with great love accept my son, and this is of course the merit of the parents, because only parents are the catalyst for understanding and acceptance of the situation, I think in Italians it is already at the genetic level, because this position of tolerance, acceptance of "a little" different people, love and care has been promoted for decades, and this is just, I think, one of the first and very important indicators of the emotional development of society.
I do not want to compare the education systems of Ukraine and Italy, I really hope that our state will definitely grow up to the level of education in Italy. I am talking about the system of education for children with special needs.
Ukraine has its advantages and that is that there are a lot of developmental spaces, different developmental centres, "new" correction techniques. The big disadvantage is that all this is very expensive and only falls on the shoulders of the parents.
At the moment Mylan goes to the second class with an assistant, visits an ABA therapist and all these options are paid for by the Italian state.
I am very grateful to the town hall of Scalea, which did not leave any of my requests unanswered, to the headmaster of the school in Scalea for his wise and balanced approach in organising my son's adaptation, to all the teachers in Mylan who find ways to interest my son in learning and his small victories, which we all rejoice in together.
I can only wish for a life as moderate and at the same time rich as the one in the town of Scalea, for families like ours, with our boy, it is important to have a quiet, safe life, with a good climate, quality food, it is important that the child goes to school, is a full participant in social life.
In my opinion Italy is an ideal place for the adaptation of children with special developmental needs.
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