AEC and OEPA in Rome: How to Get School Support for Your Child with a Disability

In a nutshell

The AEC (Assistenza Educativa Culturale — municipal educational support assistant), also known nationally as OEPA, is a trained educator employed by the city who works alongside disabled children at school to support their independence, communication, and participation in everyday activities. The service is free, managed by Roma Capitale through its 15 Municipi (Rome's local borough councils), and involves three main stages: getting a disability certification from the ASL (Azienda Sanitaria Locale — your local public-health authority), submitting an application to your Municipio, and activating the service at school.

At a glance

Cost	Free (funded by Roma Capitale)
Timeline	ASL certification: 30–90 days. Municipio application: 30–60 days. Service activation: 1–3 weeks. Total: roughly 3–6 months.
Where in Rome	Your Municipio of residence or domicile — find yours here
Documents needed	Legge 104 assessment (INPS), Functioning Profile (ASL), school enrolment certificate

AEC vs support teacher — not the same thing

Many families mix these two roles up. They are distinct but complementary:

Role	Who pays	What they do
Support teacher	Ministry of Education	Adapts the curriculum and teaching approach
AEC / OEPA	Roma Capitale	Supports independence, communication, and educational participation

The AEC does not replace the support teacher. They work together — alongside the family and the ASL team — to ensure the child can fully participate in school life.

Who can apply

The service is for children and young people with disabilities aged 3 to 21 who attend nursery, primary, middle, or secondary school. It is available regardless of citizenship — including children of undocumented parents — and is not means-tested. The only requirement is a disability certification under Legge 104/1992 issued by the ASL.

Step-by-step guide

Step 1 — Legge 104 disability recognition (INPS and ASL)

The first step is getting official recognition of the disability. A parent (or a Patronato — free union-run office that helps with social-security and immigration paperwork — such as ACLI, INCA-CGIL, or ITAL-UIL) submits an online application to INPS (Italy's social-security agency) at inps.it using SPID (Italy's digital identity for accessing online public services) or CIE (Italian electronic ID card). You'll need the introductory medical certificate filled in by the child's paediatrician (PLS) or GP using the INPS form.

Within 30 days you'll be called in for an assessment by the ASL medical panel; the official assessment report arrives within 60 days of that appointment.

Once the disability is recognised, the UVMD (Unità di Valutazione Multidisciplinare — the ASL's multidisciplinary assessment team) draws up the Profilo di Funzionamento (Functioning Profile): a document describing the child's abilities, needs, and the support required, including whether an AEC is needed and how many hours per week. In Rome, UVMDs operate through the TSMREE (child mental-health and rehabilitation clinics) of ASL Roma 1, 2, and 3. Find the clinic for your area at salutelazio.it.

Step 2 — School enrolment with disability flag

When enrolling — online at iscrizioni.istruzione.it or directly at the school office — indicate that the child has a disability and attach the Legge 104 report and the Functioning Profile. The school then notifies the Ministry of Education about the support teacher and the Municipio about the AEC request.

Step 3 — AEC application at the Municipio

Submit the formal application to the Social Services / Educational Services desk at your Municipio of residence, or via PEC (certified email — legally valid in Italy), or in some Municipi through the Roma Capitale online portal.

Documents to include:

• AEC request form (downloadable from your Municipio's website)
• Legge 104/1992 assessment report (INPS)
• Functioning Profile (ASL)
• School enrolment certificate
• Parent's ID document and the child's Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID)

To have the service in place for September, submit by May. Applications mid-year are accepted but processed more slowly.

Step 4 — Approval and hours allocation

The Municipio, working with the school and the ASL, approves the number of weekly hours. Hours depend on the severity of the disability and the child's specific needs: from 4–10 hours for milder disabilities, up to 20–40 hours (full school-day coverage) for more severe cases.

Step 5 — Service activation

The Municipio contracts an accredited social cooperative, which assigns a specific worker to the child. The service typically starts within 1–3 weeks of approval.

Step 6 — PEI and GLO at school

Once active, the AEC becomes part of the GLO (Gruppo di Lavoro Operativo — the school's operational working group), established under D.Lgs 66/2017. The GLO — made up of teachers, the head teacher, the AEC, the parents, and ASL staff — drafts and monitors the PEI (Piano Educativo Individualizzato — the child's individual educational plan). GLO meetings are usually held 3–4 times a year.

Mistakes to avoid

1. "You need Italian citizenship." Not true. The right to education and support for a child with a disability is universal, regardless of the parents' immigration status.
2. "The AEC just handles practical tasks." The AEC is a qualified educator who supports learning, social skills, and independence — not just hygiene or meals.
3. "The hours assigned can't be changed." You can request a review at a GLO meeting or file an administrative appeal with the Municipio within 30 days of the allocation decision.

Special cases

Child awaiting Legge 104 certification. While the ASL/INPS process is underway, the school can arrange temporary cover through state ATA staff for basic personal-care assistance. In some cases the Municipio will accept a provisional application supported by a private specialist's report (e.g. a child neuropsychiatrist) while the official Functioning Profile is still being prepared.

Foreign family without a residence permit. The Municipio can activate AEC support for children of undocumented parents, in coordination with social services and the ASL. The TSMREE issues the Functioning Profile even for children holding an STP card (Straniero Temporaneamente Presente — the temporary-presence card issued to undocumented migrants who need medical care).

Certification from abroad. Foreign documentation must be translated and validated by the local TSMREE. The ASL Roma carries out its own assessment and issues the Italian certification. In the meantime you can request temporary AEC support on a precautionary basis.

Private accredited schools (scuole paritarie). Roma Capitale provides AEC support in accredited private schools on the same terms as state schools.

Children with learning difficulties only (DSA — dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD). Specific learning difficulties are covered by Legge 170/2010, which provides a personalised teaching plan (PDP) and does not normally require an AEC. If the learning difficulty coexists with a broader disability, Legge 104 procedures apply and AEC support can be requested.

Official sources

• Roma Capitale — Educational Services
• Roma Capitale — AEC service fact sheet
• Roma Capitale — The 15 Municipi
• MIM — School inclusion
• USR Lazio
• ASL Roma and TSMREE — Salute Lazio
• INPS — Legge 104
• Legge 104/1992
• D.Lgs 66/2017 — School inclusion
• Portale Integrazione Migranti

Legal references: Italian Constitution arts. 3, 34, 38; Legge 104/1992 arts. 12, 13, 14; Legge 328/2000; D.Lgs 66/2017; D.Lgs 96/2019; DI MIM-Salute 182/2020 (national PEI model).