The integrated system of early childhood education and care of the Emilia-Romagna Region. Case studies of innovative services.

Abstract

The Report analyses the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services, which are certainly one of the core policy areas of the SIP – Social Investment Package (COM 2013/83). Moreover, according to the Europe 2020 Strategy, ECEC services are an essential requirement to achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The Report presents the results of an eight-month research program undertaken under the INNOSI Project framework. In order to verify the potentialities in term of Social Innovation of the ECEC services in the Emilia-Romagna Region, we opted for a “Case Studies” research methodology. We carried out an ECEC services analysis articulated at the micro (social demands), meso (societal challenges) and macro (systemic change) levels. We selected three cases: “Filonido” in the city of Bologna; “Girotondo intorno al Bosco” in the Apennines' village of Serramazzoni; “La Gabianella” and “L’albero delle meraviglie” in the town of Comacchio; one for each ECEC main typology operating in the system (daycare centres; complementary services such as meeting places for children and parents; family daycare). The qualitative analysis of the data collected through documentary sources, focus groups and interviews with stakeholders (including municipal administrators, pedagogical coordinators, professionals and parents) and observations were analysed across three main dimensions, recalling the complementary functions of ECEC: a) reconciliation of family and working life responsibilities for parents; b) equal educational opportunities for children’s development and growth; c) participation of groups which are at risk of social exclusion (low-income families, children from ethnic minority background).