From Welfare to Education . A Cultural, Professional and Social Transformation of the Role and Function of Childcare Services in Italy

The availability, accessibility and affordability of quality early years services in Italy has been determined by the history of these services that is interwowen with cultural, economical and territorial differences across the country (between northern and southern regions, between small towns and big cities, between inner and central areas). These differences have accompanied the evolution of the services from a welfare to an educational perspective, on the basis of innovative experiences and a sound pedagogical and political debate. The final establishment of childcare services under the governance of the Ministry of Education has set in motion an organized and complex transformative process leading to gradual, cultural, professional and social change that, in some territorial areas is somehow more problematic and slower, which contributes to the fact that these areas are far to reach the standards and targets identified by the Council of Europe for early years services.