Affidamento

Affidamento is a term used in Italian law and civil practice to describe the act of entrusting someone or something to another’s care. It derives from the verb affidare, meaning to entrust, place in someone’s custody, or rely on. In general usage it can refer to entrusting assets or funds to a custodian, but in legal and social contexts it is most commonly associated with the protection and care of children.

In family law and child protection, affidamento denotes a court-supervised arrangement in which a minor is placed outside the birth family to safeguard their welfare while parental responsibilities are reviewed. There are two main forms: affidamento eterofamiliare, where the child is placed with a family other than the birth family (a foster family or non-relative household), and affidamento in famiglia, where the placement is with relatives or within the child’s extended family network. A third form is affidamento preadozione (pre-adoptive), a placement with prospective adoptive parents with the aim of adoption. All forms are typically supervised by social services and authorized by the court, with periodic reviews.

The process typically involves an assessment by social services, a court decision, and ongoing monitoring to protect the child’s best interests. Affidamento is generally intended as a temporary measure, supporting reunification with the birth family or facilitating a later permanent arrangement such as adoption; it differs from adoption in that parental rights may be revisited and retained during the term of affidamento.

Beyond child protection, affidamento can also refer to entrusting money or property to a custodian under fiduciary arrangements in civil or financial contexts.