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Martin et al. (2010) study the outcomes of fathers’ supportiveness in why (not to) ignore the role of fathers? 159
terms of children’s school readiness. Based on results obtained through the
analysis of data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth De-
velopment comprising 720 samples, they find that fathers influence child de-
velopment primarily as a buffer against unsupportive mother parenting. In-
deed, empirical results from both academic and social outcomes indicate that
fathers’ supportiveness has larger benefits for children at lower levels of moth-
ers’ supportiveness.
Finally, in the past, some studies (e.g. MacDonald and Parke, 1984) found
that paternal physical play, engagement, and maternal verbal behaviour were
positively related to children’s peer relations. Similar results have been ob-
tained by McDowell and Parke (2009) who find that parent-child interaction,
parent advice sharing, and parental provision of opportunities by mothers and
fathers predict children’s social competence as well as better social acceptance
1 year later.
Case studies
In this section, the difficult situation of some Italian fathers is documented
with reference to four case studies.
The first example refers to the story of Mr. Poloniato, a father of two chil-
dren who describes his experience and criticizes the low level of competence
of social workers, resulting in failing at putting children at the centre of their
work, as well as the lack of ethics among lawyers who seem to be often safe-
guarding their business rather than securing the best interest of children (Po-
loniato, 2014). He recently argued that the Italian authorities are still unable to
properly recognize a number of important social changes in Italy (for instance
the caring and more active role of fathers in family life compared to past stand-
ards) and are unable to adapt their policies accordingly (Poloniato, 2017).
The second example refers to the case of Bondavalli v. Italy (ECHR Ap-
plication nr. 35532/12) in which regard the European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR) recognized that there had been a violation of Article 8 of the European
Convention on Human Rights (the right to respect for private life and family
life). Specifically, the ECHR observed that from September 2009 onwards, the
applicant was not able to fully exercise his rights as a parent, but only in a limit-
ed way, for two main reasons; first, due to negative reports of the social services,
which were part of the same administrative entity as that in which the child’s
mother worked as a psychiatrist; secondly, due to a report by a professional psy-
chiatrist who completed his end-of-studies internship with the child’s mother.
Among other things, the expert’s report suggested that Mr. Bondavalli showed
signs of a paranoia-type delusional disorder, while later on other experts’ re-
ports showed the opposite – namely, the lack of personality disorders.
The Italian authorities did not take into account these and other aspects
which did not grant any objectivity to the assessments, thereby penalising Mr.
terms of children’s school readiness. Based on results obtained through the
analysis of data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth De-
velopment comprising 720 samples, they find that fathers influence child de-
velopment primarily as a buffer against unsupportive mother parenting. In-
deed, empirical results from both academic and social outcomes indicate that
fathers’ supportiveness has larger benefits for children at lower levels of moth-
ers’ supportiveness.
Finally, in the past, some studies (e.g. MacDonald and Parke, 1984) found
that paternal physical play, engagement, and maternal verbal behaviour were
positively related to children’s peer relations. Similar results have been ob-
tained by McDowell and Parke (2009) who find that parent-child interaction,
parent advice sharing, and parental provision of opportunities by mothers and
fathers predict children’s social competence as well as better social acceptance
1 year later.
Case studies
In this section, the difficult situation of some Italian fathers is documented
with reference to four case studies.
The first example refers to the story of Mr. Poloniato, a father of two chil-
dren who describes his experience and criticizes the low level of competence
of social workers, resulting in failing at putting children at the centre of their
work, as well as the lack of ethics among lawyers who seem to be often safe-
guarding their business rather than securing the best interest of children (Po-
loniato, 2014). He recently argued that the Italian authorities are still unable to
properly recognize a number of important social changes in Italy (for instance
the caring and more active role of fathers in family life compared to past stand-
ards) and are unable to adapt their policies accordingly (Poloniato, 2017).
The second example refers to the case of Bondavalli v. Italy (ECHR Ap-
plication nr. 35532/12) in which regard the European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR) recognized that there had been a violation of Article 8 of the European
Convention on Human Rights (the right to respect for private life and family
life). Specifically, the ECHR observed that from September 2009 onwards, the
applicant was not able to fully exercise his rights as a parent, but only in a limit-
ed way, for two main reasons; first, due to negative reports of the social services,
which were part of the same administrative entity as that in which the child’s
mother worked as a psychiatrist; secondly, due to a report by a professional psy-
chiatrist who completed his end-of-studies internship with the child’s mother.
Among other things, the expert’s report suggested that Mr. Bondavalli showed
signs of a paranoia-type delusional disorder, while later on other experts’ re-
ports showed the opposite – namely, the lack of personality disorders.
The Italian authorities did not take into account these and other aspects
which did not grant any objectivity to the assessments, thereby penalising Mr.
