I have the right to carry a backpack - access to the school of children and adolescents in paediatric palliative care in the Veneto Region (Italy)

Sep 30, 2026

Universal access to school applies to all children and adolescents, yet paediatric palliative care (PPC) patients experience barriers linked to disability, cognitive impairment, and varying support needs. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis used clinical charts, routine visits, and calls for patients aged 3–19 followed at the Paediatrics Hospice of Padua. School attendance for students with severe disabilities was remarkably low, while family choices strongly influenced attendance. Strengthening teacher/staff support and ongoing training can improve inclusion.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Background

Access to school and inclusion challenges

Methods

Study setting and design

Results

School attendance and influencing factors

Conclusions

Educational system priorities and support

Santini et al. Italian Journal of Pediatrics (2026) 52:3 [https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-025-02167-5](https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-025-02167-5) Italian Journal of Pediatrics RESEARCH Open Access I have the right to carry a backpack: access to the school of children and adolescents in paediatric palliative care in the Veneto Region (Italy) Anna Santini 1, Mariangela Rosa 1, Anna Marinetto 1, Enrica Grigolon 1, Luca Giacomelli2, Lara Vecchi2, Caterina Agosto 1, Valentina De Tommasi 1 and Franca Benini3,1* Abstract Background This universal right of access to school applies to all children and adolescents, including paediatric palliative care (PPC) patients. PPC patients display several different levels of disability and cognitive impairment that pose challenges to school inclusion. Therefore, strategies to offer an efficient and tailored school experience that relies on the support of school assistants and support teachers are essential. Methods In this retrospective study, data of patients of school age (3–19 years) followed at the Paediatrics Hospice of Padua were collected cross-sectionally from clinical charts, routine visits, and calls to patients and caregivers. Results Our results showed that school attendance by students with severe disabilities is remarkably low, especially for those children displaying complex care needs, resulting in a high care burden on families. Notwithstanding, family choices significantly influence school attendance, which may be a consequence of the inadequacy of the services offered by the education system, linked to organisational and structural factors Conclusions It is vital to identify the key issues and strengths of the current educational system to develop effective strategies that help families and promote school involvement. Investing in teacher and staff support, along with ongoing training for school personnel, is crucial. *Correspondence: Franca Benini [franca.benini@unipd.it](franca.benini@unipd.it) 1Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care Service, University Hospital Padua, Padua, Italy 2Polistudium srl, Milan, Italy 3Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy Background Access to school is a universal right granted to all children and adolescents [1]. This right applies to children and adolescents with disabilities [2]. However, for them, inclusion into the school system is not easy [2–4], and school experiences of children and adolescents with disabilities are overall worse than those of healthy peers. Children with disabilities tend to have more days of absence from school and overall poorer educational outcomes [5]. Furthermore, the social and relationship life of these children is impaired, with a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms [6–8]. © The Author(s) 2025. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://creativecommons.org/l](http://creativecommons.org/l)icenses/by/4.0/. Santini et al. Italian Journal of Pediatrics (2026) 52:3 Page 2 of 10 A remarkable proportion of children with a disability require paediatric palliative care (PPC), which is defined as the global care of the child’s body, mind, and spirit, also providing support to the

FAQs

What does the study focus on regarding school access?

The study examines school access and school attendance for children and adolescents receiving paediatric palliative care (PPC), considering how disability and cognitive impairment affect inclusion.

How were data for the study collected?

Data were collected retrospectively and cross-sectionally from de-identified clinical charts, routine visits, and calls to patients and caregivers for ages 3–19 followed at the Paediatric Hospice of Padua.

What were the key findings about school attendance?

School attendance among students with severe disabilities was notably low, especially for children with complex care needs. Family choices significantly influenced attendance, potentially reflecting inadequacies in education-system services and related organisational and structural factors.

What strategies does the study recommend to improve inclusion?

The study emphasizes identifying educational system strengths and issues, investing in teacher and staff support, and providing ongoing training for school personnel to help families and promote school involvement.

Sep 30, 2026

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