Center for Growing Together “La Girandola”

La Girandola is a socialization space that allows children with special needs to socialize with able-bodied peers, stimulating the development of identity and self-esteem in each of them. The socialization space is attended by a maximum of 10 children in the morning, including a maximum of 3 who are non-disabled. The mornings are managed by two educators and several volunteers. Our non-profit association Crescere Insieme promotes and coordinates the project which benefits several children in difficulty, who find precious moments in our spaces to promote their emotional development and learning skills. Since the birth of La Girandola – in September 2011, with an initial opening of three mornings a week – they have already achieved several important objectives:

• ramp participants up to full occupancy for five mornings per week.
• move the headquarters to a larger location in Losone, with a garden.
• create a playground suitable for all children.

The socialization space is located in a space adjacent to Il Girotondo, a child therapy center based in Losone (www.girotondoterapie.ch), where physiotherapists and occupational therapists specialized in paediatrics have been operating successfully for years. The collaboration between Il Girotondo and La Girandola has therefore always been created naturally. This enrichment of our offer guarantees increased support to families and to the work of teachers, adding a stimulating and fruitful context for the development of all children.

Over time, the growing number of disorders diagnosed in children between the ages of 2 and 4 has seen a significant increase in the number of disabled and non-disabled children asking to be integrated into La Girandola. The experience gained over time has also made us attentive to a series of collateral challenges that life in society poses to families who have children affected by this type of problem.

We are committed to integrating and socializing children with each other and we support families in their life paths.