The Geography of Childcare Preferences and Availability in Italy

Despite extensive research on childcare supply, individual preferences regarding care provision remain underexplored. In Southern Europe, childcare is frequently organised within informal kin networks, reflecting the interplay between familistic norms and institutional constraints. This paper uses data from the 2025 Age-It Family Demography Survey, combined with administrative data on the availability of authorized childcare places at the provincial level in Italy, to analyse childcare preferences among individuals aged 18–45. Two main findings emerge. First, childcare preferences exhibit a clear North–South gradient, with stronger preferences for formal care in many northern provinces and more heterogeneous patterns in the South. Second, territorial supply does not always align with declared preferences: some high-provision areas show low preferences for formal care, while in other regions there is evidence of unmet demand. Overall, with about two-thirds of respondents preferring formal childcare arrangements, the results suggest a broad potential reach for family policies.