Nurseries, benefits and services for young children

The public nursery (asilo nido comunale) is run by the comune or contracted by it, and admits children from three months to three years, and prices are set according to ISEE so they are relatively low, but its places are limited and there are waiting lists.

• Private nurseries are more expensive but easier to get into, and some receive support.
• The sezione primavera is for those between 24 and 36 months within nursery schools.
• The Tagesmutter, that is the day mother, or nido familiare is home care in small numbers.
• And in the south places in nurseries are fewer, so search early.
• And the nursery usually opens from half past seven to four or six in the evening, and closes in August.
• And there are centri per le famiglie offering workshops and support for parents.

Applications for the public nursery are usually submitted between March and June for the next school year via the comune's website, with ISEE, the child's codice fiscale, the residence certificate and the vaccination certificate.

• Applications are ranked by points: parents' work, single-parent family, siblings, and income situation.
• Non-Italian residents may have the same priority if they are resident.
• Public fees range between fifty and five hundred euros monthly according to ISEE, and meals are added, and private from three hundred to a thousand euros.
• And ask about emergencies and enrolment at any time in the year if places remain.
• And if you do not find a place ask about alternatives such as the day mother.
• And start searching and registering before birth if possible since waiting lists are long.

The assegno unico e universale per i figli a carico is a monthly allowance from INPS for every resident child up to 21, calculated according to ISEE, the child's age and number of children, and ranges between about 57 and 200 euros monthly for one child, and rises for the disabled.

• It is submitted via the INPS site with SPID or via a patronato or CAF, and Italian nationality is not required but residence in Italy for at least two years or a work contract is. And the bonus asilo nido repays a part of public and private nursery fees according to ISEE up to about 3000 euros a year and more for newborns.
• Submit the application annually and do not wait.
• And document all invoices.
• And the allowance is paid to your bank account.
• And associations help to fill in applications.

The employee has the right to congedo di maternità, maternity leave of usually five months (two months before birth and three after, or one month before and four after with a medical report) at about 80 percent of salary from INPS.

• And the father has congedo di paternità, ten compulsory working days at full pay.
• And after it the congedo parentale, optional parental leave of up to several months for each parent within the child's first years at a percentage of salary.
• And there are riposi giornalieri, daily breastfeeding periods.
• And self-employed and non-working women have different benefits such as the bonus mamma and the assegno di maternità dei comuni.
• Tell the employer early and submit the application via INPS.
• And the law prohibits dismissing you because of pregnancy during pregnancy and until the child's first year.

The family registers its child with a pediatra di libera scelta, a free paediatrician via the ASL for children up to 14 and it can be extended to 16, and follows growth through periodic visits.

• The compulsory vaccinations are ten (against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, whooping cough and haemophilus), and are a condition for entering nursery and nursery school, and are given free at the ASL.
• And ask about the consultorio familiare, the free family health centre that offers pregnancy follow-up, breastfeeding and psychological support for mothers.
• And there are associations and mothers' groups that help against isolation.
• For emergencies call 118.
• And try to get help from relatives or neighbours when needed.

What is the assegno unico?