Two Italian regions cover up to 100% of the cost of childcare for families that meet the income criteria. Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna They have their own programs that combine the national subsidy with the regional allocation, even completely waiving the monthly fee in many cases.
Childcare costs are one of the biggest expenses for families with young children in Italy. In public nurseries, monthly fees range from 300 to 500 euros. In private nurseries in the major northern cities, the cost can exceed 800 euros per month.
The national subsidy and its limits
The Italian government offers nest bonus to all families with children aged zero to three years, regardless of income, although the amount is calculated with based on ISEEIn 2024, approximately 521.000 children received the benefit, with an average reimbursement of 205 euros per month, covering an average of 54% of tuition fees.
The problem is that families have to pay the full amount upfront and wait for reimbursement for months, which makes the system unaffordable for many.
Toscana
The program Nidi Gratis The Tuscany region's program is in its fourth consecutive year. It covers children from three months to three years old in accredited public and private daycare centers, for families with an ISEE (Social Equity Income) of up to 40.000 euros. The regional transfer complements the national childcare bonus up to a limit of 800 euros per month.
Since its launch, more than 43.000 families have benefited. Registration for 2026/27 opens in June on the website. regione.toscana.it/-/nidi-gratisFor access, SPID or CIE is required. Questions can be sent to [email protected].
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna operates a similar scheme, with one important practical difference: when enrolling a child in the municipal daycare, the family presents the ISEE (Integrated System for Education and Science) and the discount is applied automatically, without the need for separate regional registration.
The income ceiling is €26.000 in most municipalities, rising to €40.000 in mountainous and inland regions. Enrollment for 2026/27 is already open in many municipalities.
The region topped the ranking compiled by Save the Children in 2026 , the the best place to be a mother in Italy, with a daycare coverage rate of 39,4% for children aged zero to three, well above the national average of 31,6%.
Why don't other regions do the same?
The programs in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna are largely funded by the European Social Fund, which all Italian regions have access to. The difference lies in what each region has decided to do with these resources and, above all, in the existing infrastructure.
Emilia-Romagna has maintained municipal daycare centers since 1969, two years before national law required regions to offer them. Tuscany defined daycare centers by law in 1973 as "universal institutions open to all children under three years of age." This historical foundation of more than 50 years is what underpins current programs.
In the south, the starting point was very different. Five years after the national law of 1971, there was not a single public daycare center operating in Campania, Abruzzo, Molise, Calabria, Sicily, or Sardinia. This gap has never been completely closed: the coverage rate in the southern regions is only 19%, compared to 40% in the center and 39,1% in the northeast.
Requirements for both regions
To enroll in any of the programs, you need: Italian residency, an up-to-date ISEE certificate, and an active application for the Nido bonus with the INPS. Non-EU parents, such as Brazilians without European citizenship, for example, need... qualified residence permit.
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