The project aims to promote the health of the premature baby and the disabled child, from birth to adolescence, through a multidisciplinary approach that includes therapeutic assistance and osteopathic treatment. RAISE with its professionals is a valid clinical, scientific and person-centred assistance in the field of neonatology and paediatrics. In addition, RAISE embraces the highest standard for research in order to produce robust scientific evidence on the effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment on this fragile category.

Currently, there are 13 hospitals, both public and private, that guarantee the possibility of a multidisciplinary RAISE treatment, that see working together neonatologists, osteopaths, physiotherapists, nurses and families. Other important hospitals expressed their interested in the project and now are defining the collaboration. The role of osteopathy within this muldisciplinary approach was showed to be useful in reducing the neonates’ length of hospitalization in the NICU, to promote a faster weight gain and to benefit the neurocognitive development.

Osteopaths with high professional experience and profile are responsible for ensuring free osteopathic treatments for disadvantaged and disabled children.

The project takes place through different methods. After hospital discharge, a network of osteopaths can guarantee follow-up treatments to infants. Indeed, children, individually or with the help of institutions or associations, are treated in various centers participating in or collaborating with the project. Finally, annual humanitarian missions are organized to provide assistance to children living in developing countries.