Critical aspects in establishing early childhood hubs in Italy: a comparative analysis of regional implementation models and a systematic qualitative review

• stringher_et-al_qtimes-jetss_lug26_1.pdf

Abstract:

Within the Italian ECEC system, early childhood hubs represent an innovative policy tool. Curricular guidelines define them as “hosting educational services of several types and preschool sections within the same premises or nearby”. Scope of this study is a national exploration on their development, so to understand how they may be supported within the 0-6 system, benefitting from the considerable investments of the European Recovery and Resilience Fund. We examine the following aspects: definitions, financial arrangements, organization, and numerical consistency; functioning models; opportunities and constraints for their implementation. Our methodology is qualitative, with content analyses on the literature review and on the collection of regional normative documents. Since 2017, 813 hubs have been or are being established in all Italian regions. Definitions of hubs merit attention, so to comprehend how this policy tool is shaping in the diverse Italian territories.

• #Italy
• #early childhood hubs
• #literature review
• #qualitative content analysis
• #regional regulations