An Australian–British couple living in Abruzzo woods will appeal against a court ruling that removed their three children and placed them in foster care. Their lawyer said on Friday that the decision contains “falsehoods” regarding the children’s schooling.
Australian Catherine Birmingham and her British husband Nathan Trevallion have been raising their children in a shack without electricity or running water. Authorities intervened after an investigation into the family’s living conditions in the Abruzzo woods and the children’s social development.
The court in L’Aquila ruled on Thursday that the children’s right to education had not been violated. However, it said their right to social life, protected under Article 2 of the Italian Constitution, was at risk. Judges argued that isolation could cause “serious psychological and educational consequences”.
Lawyer Giovanni Angellucci said the ruling misrepresented the family’s educational arrangements. He claimed the decision suggested the children were not authorised for home schooling, which he disputes.
“Yesterday’s ruling contained falsehoods,” Angellucci said. He stressed that provisions should be challenged rather than commented on, and confirmed an appeal will be filed. He added that the court had “short-circuited” in its reasoning by again focusing on schooling.
The family’s lawyer also said the couple’s eldest daughter had been denied a certificate confirming her eligibility for the third grade because it had not been ratified by the ministry. “This certificate, however, exists and is even registered,” he said.
The appeal is expected to focus on both the family’s education documentation and the assessment of the children’s social environment. The Daily Mail and The Telegraph have covered the case in the UK media.
