MILAN – From today, October 27, until November 20, 2025, parents in Lombardy can apply for the Lombardy Region’s “Nidi Gratis Plus” program.
After an initial phase involving municipalities, the program is now open to families with the aim of facilitating access to early childhood services. By addressing the needs of work-life balance and promoting their continued employment, integration, and re-entry into the labor market, with a particular focus on mothers, the program aims to guarantee free access to one of the most important childcare services: nursery school. The Lombardy Region, which confirmed and strengthened the “Nidi Gratis Plus” program for the 2025/2026 school year, has allocated €60 million for the three-year period 2025/2028 to support families with children aged 0 to 3 enrolled in public or affiliated private nurseries and micro-nurseries.
The goal is to eliminate or reduce the monthly fees paid by parents, promoting the balance between family and work life and promoting female employment.
“With Nidi Gratis Plus, the Lombardy Region continues to invest concretely in the future of Lombardy’s families and children,” stated Elena Lucchini, Councilor for Family, Social Solidarity, Disability, and Equal Opportunities. “This initiative allows families with an ISEE of up to €20,000 to completely eliminate tuition fees, while those with an ISEE of between €20,000 and €25,000 are eligible for a contribution of up to €100 per month, in addition to the INPS reimbursement. This contribution,” concluded the Family Affairs Director, “is not just financial support, but also a message of trust and care from the entire community. We want to send a tangible message to those who choose to bring a child into the world by supporting mom and dad in this important decision.”
GROWING NUMBER OF MEMBERSHIPS AT NIDI GRATIS PLUS
The data collected to date confirms the success of the measure. The number of Lombardy municipalities participating in the measure has increased again this year, from 652 in the previous edition to 670 this year, and the number of participating facilities has also grown from 1,183 to 1,213.
RESULTS AND IMPACT
In 2024, the measure financed 10,887 applications, helping to support thousands of Lombard families and to strengthen the system of early childhood education services.
ACCESS REQUIREMENTS
Families meeting the following criteria are eligible to apply:
– Children aged 0 to 3 years old, enrolled and attending participating public or authorized private nursery or micro-nurseries;
– Valid ISEE certificate for minors up to €25,000;
– Monthly fees paid by parents exceeding the amount reimbursable by INPS (€272.73 for the first 10 months and €272.70 for the eleventh month, or €327.27 for the first 10 months and €327.30 for the eleventh month);
– Both the applicant parent and the beneficiary minor must reside in Lombardy.
