Disuguaglianze territoriali e politiche per la prima infanzia: un’analisi italiana

Abstract

This paper investigates persistent regional inequalities in access to early childhood education services in Italy. These disparities reflect the existence of educational frontiers that limit the full development of families and the communities in which they live, contributing to the reinforcement of social and economic gaps in the long term. Although significant investments under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) have supported a modest increase in supply and coverage rates, the system is still far from the European target of 45% by 2030. The main source of concern lies in the marked disparity in access to these educational services between different Italian regions. In today's complex society, this gap risks limiting the professional and training opportunities of women and men, as well as compromising the competitiveness of each region. Although the post-pandemic plan has increased coverage levels across the country, it risks failing to bridge the gap in the South, where progress remains modest. Structural, administrative and resource-related difficulties continue to hinder the equitable development of the system, with budget revisions, significant delays and procedural complexities that could push the completion of investments beyond European deadlines, thus jeopardising the feasibility of already reduced interventions. In this sense, pre-existing inequalities may become even more persistent in education policies in the long term. This scenario raises profound questions about the Italian system's ability to guarantee equal opportunities from the earliest years of life. Access to early childhood education services is a strategic issue: not only for the well-being and development of children, but also to support female employment, reduce educational poverty and promote work-life balance. Insufficient coverage in this area is therefore a cause for serious concern. Overcoming these disparities is essential to counteract the cumulative disadvantage that differentiates the inputs received by girls and boys from the earliest years of life, guaranteeing them equal opportunities for development and adequate life time for their caregivers.