Quality in family-based childcare settings: an empirical study in the italian context

Abstract

Within the framework of the integrated system of education and care from birth to six years, this study presents a research project aimed at developing an operational model for assessing quality in home-based early childhood services. The theoretical framework conceptualizes quality in early childhood education and care as a multidimensional and complex construct (Bondioli & Ferrari, 2000), the assessment of which requires measurement tools specifically calibrated to the distinctive features of family-based childcare settings. From this perspective, the study seeks to identify the quality standards that should characterize these services, to define appropriate evaluation instruments, and to ensure their contextualized and operational applicability. The contribution further outlines the overall research design and reports on the current stage of the study, detailing the methodological tools and procedures adopted in the data collection and analysis phases.