Key facts
- An Italian court has approved a gradual reunification process for three children removed from their off-grid parents.
- The children, aged nine and six, were taken into care due to concerns over living conditions and a poisoning incident.
- The ruling allows for daytime visits and, from October, weekend overnight stays.
- The parents, Catherine Birmingham and Nathan Trevallion, are appealing for a faster and complete reunification.
- The case has drawn attention from Italy's prime minister and deputy prime minister.
A UK-Australian couple, Catherine Birmingham and Nathan Trevallion, have expressed deep distress following an Italian court's decision to gradually reunite them with their three children, who were removed from their care over two years ago. The children were placed in a residential facility after the family was hospitalised in September 2024 for consuming poisonous mushrooms, which brought them to the attention of authorities. Concerns cited by the juvenile court in November 2025 included a lack of hygiene, social interaction, adequate toilet facilities, and schooling at the couple's off-grid property in the Abruzzo region.
The latest ruling, approved on Wednesday, partially revises previous decisions and outlines a staged reunification process. This process will initially allow the children to return home for daytime visits and, from October, for weekend overnight stays. The couple's lawyer, Simone Pillon, stated that the ruling sets out a gradual reunification process.
In a statement, the parents described the decision as arriving with a "harshness that broke each of our hearts," questioning the fairness and legality of mandatory schooling and expressing concerns about their children's health and emotional well-being due to the ongoing separation and travel between home and the facility. They argue that their children's health is at serious risk and that returning them home is the only way to reduce this risk.
The case has garnered attention from high-profile Italian politicians, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressing "alarm" and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini comparing the situation to a kidnapping. However, a union representing the judiciary defended the court's decision, emphasizing that it was based on factors concerning the children's safety, sanitary conditions, and education.
Social services are set to monitor the reunification process and conduct an assessment before any permanent reunion can be considered. The parents maintain they have collaborated with authorities despite extreme stress and trauma, but they insist on their parental rights and their children's right to health. They plan to appeal for a more complete and expedited reunification.