EECERA Conference 2025 – Guest Blog # 23: How Inclusive is Early Childhood Education in Italy?
Posted 20th August 2025
One of a series of short blog posts by presenters who will be sharing their work at the upcoming annual conference in Bratislava, Slovakia. Any views expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of their affiliated institution or EECERA.
How Inclusive is Early Childhood Education in Italy? Key Learnings from Recent Research
By Vanessa Macchia and Stefania Torri
Source: https://scintille.it/cooperare-alla-scuola-dellinfanzia/
Early childhood education for Italy’s 0-6 age group is evolving to embrace democratic values, equity and empathy form the very beginning. The Pensare IN Grande/ThinkINg Big project reveals how educators are promoting an inclusive culture while also facing ongoing challenges.
Exploring Inclusion Beyond Integration: New Perspectives form Italy’s Early Childhood Sector
Inclusive early childhood education is not just about placing children with different abilities and backgrounds in the same classroom. It is about a deep transformation in how education is conceived and practised, paving the way for lifelong democratic participation and social equity. The Pensare IN Grande / ThinkINg Big project, involving four Italian Universities, provides valuable insights into this transformative journey in the 0-6 early years sector. Democratic Competencies at the Core
At the heart of the project lies the belief that inclusion stems from democratic competencies, such as the values of equity and justice, the attitude of openness and tolerance, and the essential skills of cooperation and empathy. These competencies flourish in inclusive early learning settings where each child’s individuality is recognised and encouraged to thrive.
Source: Model of Competences for Democratic Culture. In Council of Europe. (2018). Reference Framework of Competences For Democratic Culture. Volume 2 Descriptors of Competences for Democratic Culture. Strasbourg p. 63.
Bridging Policy and Practice: Insights from Educators on the Front Lines
Italy’s recent policy advances formally embrace inclusion both as a practice and as a defining element of organisational culture. A key milestone was the establishment of the Integrated Early Childhood Education System for Children Aged 0 to 6, a coordinated framework of education and care developed between 2017 and 2021 to ensure continuity and integration for all children in this age group. More recently the 2025 National Curriculum Guidelines have been introduced, setting out new directions and goals.
Within this context, the Pensare IN Grande / ThinkINg Big team has conducted a nationwide survey of educators, using an adapted IECE Environment Self-Reflection Tool to pinpoint strengths and areas for improvement.
So far, over 200 educators from across Italy have taken part. Their responses reveal a mixed picture: strong points include a warm, welcoming atmosphere and genuine collaboration among staff, while challenges persist in terms of accessibility of spaces and training for specialised needs involving the whole staff.
Reflective Practices and Participatory Governance: Keys to Transformative Inclusion
Overall, these findings point to a vision of inclusion as an ongoing process of transformation that requires continuous reflection, adaptation, and commitment from institutions, professionals, and communities. In line with broader frameworks for sustainability and democratic engagement, the study positions early childhood inclusion as a cornerstone of fair and empowered societies.
A group of educators working with the Chess System (Photo by Studio Vega) https://www.ilpost.it/2020/11/05/sistema-chess-educazione/
About the authors
Vanessa Macchia is a Professor of Didactic and Inclusive Education at the Faculty of Education and at the Competence Centre of School Inclusion of the Free University of Bolzano/Bozen, Italy
Stefania Torri is a Research Assistant in the field of Didactic and Inclusive Education at the Competence Centre of School Inclusion at the Free University of Bolzano/Bozen, Italy.
Vanessa Macchia and Stefania Torri will present work referred to in this blog in Symposium Set B7, Tuesday 26th August 2025 15.40-17.00, Room G118, First Floor, Faculty of Arts. (Schedule liable to change; please refer to final programme for details).
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Found out more about our work:
https://www.unibz.it/it/faculties/education/academic-staff/person/11712-vanessa-macchia
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