“First Steps in Milan”: Ensuring Access to Educational and Childcare Services for Newly Arrived Migrant and Refugee Families

Italy

Dec 31

Written By Sophie van Haasen

Milan

Mayor

Giuseppe Sala

Start of Project

10/01/2023

End of Project

09/01/2024

Website

Overview

The City of Milan pledged to enhance early childhood inclusion for newly arrived migrant and refugee families through “·First Steps in Milan”, a two-generational programme providing early education, childcare, and caregiver support. Through this project, the city commits to enhancing and accelerating the inclusion of newly arrived migrant and refugee children aged 0 to 6 and their families by providing early socio-educational interventions.

The project addresses challenges faced by migrant and refugee minors and their caregivers waiting to access municipal services or national refugee reception services, as delays in their integration into the school system can generate psychological, relational, and identity discomfort.

To address this issue:

Milan will establish a specialized team of educational, psycho-pedagogical, and neuropsychiatric professionals to assess family needs and create personalized education plans.
Using a two-generational approach, the program will introduce flexible preschool and daycare services for children while providing their caregivers with job training, language courses, and cultural workshops. These services will also be accessible to other families residing in the city, to foster peer exchange and strengthen community ties.

In the long term, “First Steps in Milan” is expected to foster innovative educational strategies that benefit the entire education system, ultimately promoting the inclusion of foreign minors and their integration into society.

Reported Impact [as of November 2025]

With backing from the Mayors Migration Council’s Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees and in partnership with 13 civil society organisations, the initiative offered tailored preschool and daycare services to 320 migrant and refugee children and provided 250 caregivers with language training, psychosocial support, and job readiness courses.

The project strengthened cross-sector collaboration and influenced city-wide approaches to inclusion. Milan also secured USD 400,000 in national funding to sustain and expand the programme into 2025. Despite challenges such as coordination adjustments and the need for project extensions to align with school years, First Steps in Milan stands as a model for inclusive, family-centred education and integration.