Dutch Couple Isolates Children in Italy: Shocking Revelations!

Dutch Couple Isolates Children in Italy: Shocking Revelations!

A shocking case has become known in Italy that has reignited the discussion about the safety of children in homeschooling. A Dutch couple who kept their two children completely isolated were discovered by police after the children were found during an evacuation due to floods in April 2025. The children, a nine-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl, lived in catastrophic hygienic conditions and were neither registered with the registry office nor enrolled in a school. According to [Kleine Zeitung](https://www.kleinezeitung.at/service/newsticker/chronik/19848937/hollaendisches- Paar-schottet-in-italien-kinder-jahrelang-ab) they wore diapers and could neither speak, read nor write.

The parents, a 54-year-old father and a 38-year-old mother, had lived in a small village in Italy for at least three years. The father described himself as a sculptor and claimed he wanted to protect his children from viruses. The mother explained that she gave homeschooling lessons to the children. The case shocked the local population, and the town's mayor promised to work to solve the case. The children are currently in a sheltered facility and will be put up for adoption. The father firmly denied the allegations of neglect and emphasized that the children had toys and lived freely in nature.

The dangers of unregulated homeschooling

This incident highlights the risks of homeschooling, particularly in contexts with lax regulations. Homeschooling is the fastest growing form of education in the United States. Diverse families, both from urban and rural areas, are increasingly choosing to homeschool their children. As NPR reports, homeschooling laws vary greatly from state to state. Eleven states do not require parents to provide notice when homeschooling their children, and only three states require standardized testing for homeschooled children.

The lack of supervision raises serious child safety concerns. Tragic cases, such as the “Turpin” case of 2018, demonstrate the dangers that can result from unregulated homeschooling. Without regular checks, children are particularly vulnerable to abuse and neglect. Across the U.S., voices are calling for more regulation and protections for homeschooled children, including the need to register children and submit regular progress reports to ensure their safety. Certainly the balance between parental rights and the protection of children must be maintained.

The social context of homeschooling

Historically, homeschooling developed in the context of the 1960s and 1970s as a response to public education systems that did not meet all individual needs. Religious beliefs played a crucial role. Further developments, such as the deregulation of compulsory school attendance, have given homeschooling additional popularity. While more than 10% of U.S. students were homeschooled in 2021, an increase is particularly evident among African American children, from 3.3% to 16% during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many parents became concerned about political indoctrination in schools. Topics such as social equality and LGBTQ rights are included in school curricula, which some parents see as problematic.Humaniumhighlights that nearly 70% of U.S. children do not learn basic academic skills after school, and homeschooled children statistically perform better.

The case in Italy not only highlights the serious grievances, but also the need for a comprehensive discussion about regulation and quality assurance in homeschooling to ensure that children are not only taught, but also grow up safe and well looked after.