A delegation of nine professionals from Milan visited Barcelona on 16 and 17 April 2026 to learn about the city's municipal policies and services for early childhood care. The group included municipal representatives and members of Italian private foundations, according to Barcelona City Council International.
The visit was part of the European project EDUFIRST. Monica Cracchi, Director of the Early Childhood Education and Care Area for the City of Milan, led the delegation. They met with Sonia Fuertes, Commissioner for Social Action, and Marta Sendra, Commissioner for Education, along with technical teams from the Barcelona Municipal Institute of Social Services (IMSS), the Barcelona Municipal Institute of Education (IMEB), and the International Relations department.
The Milan delegation showed particular interest in three areas: municipal strategies for children aged 0 to 6, how services integrate with local communities, and the ongoing collaboration between educational and social services in vulnerable areas. During their visit, they toured three key facilities.
Exploring Barcelona's Care Models
These facilities included the Social Intervention Service (SIS) Gràcia, managed by the Fundació Maria Raventós. They also visited the Aurora Family Childcare Space in the Raval neighbourhood and the Els Gats Municipal Nursery School and its Family Childcare Space in Sants-Badal. These sites offered practical examples of Barcelona's approach to early childhood support.
Part of the delegation also represented the NOVA project. This initiative, funded by the De Agostini, Edoardo Garrone, and Paolo Bulgari foundations, aims to establish a new space in Milan and expand the Zerosei model to other Italian cities. The new Milanese space will focus on community relationships and openness, elements the delegation identified as defining features of Barcelona's services.
European Collaboration for Child Guarantee
The EDUFIRST project, co-funded by Erasmus+, has facilitated collaboration between Barcelona, Milan, Tampere, and the Universitat de Vic since 2024. The shared goal is to improve early childhood education and care services, aligning with the European Child Guarantee. This initiative aims to ensure children in Europe have access to essential services.
Barcelona's involvement in this visit shows its commitment to international cooperation in childhood policy. The city believes that sharing experiences between cities helps improve services and the living conditions for families.
