https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed With Italian Mother’s Day around the corner, a new report looks at where in the country mothers face the greatest challenges and where they’re most likely to thrive. https://www.thelocal.it/20260508/ranked-the-italian-regions-where-its-easiest-and-hardest-to-be-a-mother Fri, 08 May 2026 15:10:59 +0200 ranked-the-italian-regions-where-its-easiest-and-hardest-to-be-a-mother Following Italy's removal of three homeschooled children from their Anglo-Australian parents last week, what does Italian law have to say about homeschooling? https://www.thelocal.it/20251125/what-are-the-rules-on-homeschooling-in-italy Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:43:05 +0100 what-are-the-rules-on-homeschooling-in-italy Italy has some of Europe's most affordable early years childcare provision—if you can secure a spot. Here’s what to know about navigating the system. https://www.thelocal.it/20250915/explained-what-are-your-childcare-options-in-italy Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:51:16 +0200 explained-what-are-your-childcare-options-in-italy As the new school term begins in Italy, parents are facing higher costs again in 2025 according to consumer assocation reports. https://www.thelocal.it/20250911/back-to-school-how-much-it-costs-in-italy-this-year-and-how-to-save Thu, 11 Sep 2025 10:54:06 +0200 back-to-school-how-much-it-costs-in-italy-this-year-and-how-to-save Italy’s government has increased its financial support for parents this year as part of efforts to boost the country’s falling birth rate. What assistance can you take advantage of as a new mother in 2025? https://www.thelocal.it/20250903/what-maternity-benefits-can-you-claim-in-italy-in-2025 Wed, 03 Sep 2025 14:39:44 +0200 what-maternity-benefits-can-you-claim-in-italy-in-2025 Europe's population is getting older and its set to shrink in many countries. One of the keys to sustaining societies and economies will be the integration of immigrants into the workforce, the author of a new study tells Claudia Delpero. https://www.thelocal.it/20250427/integrate-immigrants-how-europe-can-deal-with-its-population-challenge Sun, 27 Apr 2025 15:48:54 +0200 integrate-immigrants-how-europe-can-deal-with-its-population-challenge While there’s no list of 'acceptable' names parents should stick to, there are a number of rules about naming children in Italy. https://www.thelocal.it/20230630/what-are-the-rules-for-naming-your-baby-in-italy Fri, 30 Jun 2023 18:54:43 +0200 what-are-the-rules-for-naming-your-baby-in-italy Italy's Constitutional Court on Friday ruled that single people can adopt children from abroad – a right previously reserved to married couples alone under Italian law. https://www.thelocal.it/20250321/italys-top-court-rules-single-people-can-adopt-children-from-abroad Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:36:29 +0100 italys-top-court-rules-single-people-can-adopt-children-from-abroad The number of babies born in the EU was down 5.4 percent to 3.67 million in 2023, the largest drop in decades, official data showed Friday, underscoring the bloc's demographic issues. https://www.thelocal.it/20250308/eu-sees-record-drop-in-births-data-shows Sat, 08 Mar 2025 10:36:35 +0100 eu-sees-record-drop-in-births-data-shows What's in a name? For international parents in Italy, choosing one for their baby means considering the country's laws and cultural norms, as well as the limits of the Italian bureaucratic system. https://www.thelocal.it/20240722/five-things-to-know-about-naming-your-baby-in-italy Mon, 22 Jul 2024 19:37:55 +0200 five-things-to-know-about-naming-your-baby-in-italy Foreigners living in Italy are often left baffled by how much 'la famiglia' is intrinsic to the Italian way of life. Silvia Marchetti explains why families in Italy "stick together like glue", even if it means your relatives are a constant presence in your life. https://www.thelocal.it/20240913/opinion-family-is-sacrosanct-to-italians-even-if-you-cant-get-away-from-them Fri, 13 Sep 2024 18:24:25 +0200 opinion-family-is-sacrosanct-to-italians-even-if-you-cant-get-away-from-them The number of people aged 18-34 still living at home is now as high as 75 percent in some parts of Italy, new official data shows, as wages shrink and youth unemployment grows. https://www.thelocal.it/20240516/two-thirds-of-young-italians-now-live-with-their-parents-as-unemployment-rises Thu, 16 May 2024 17:24:59 +0200 two-thirds-of-young-italians-now-live-with-their-parents-as-unemployment-rises Foreigners living and raising children in Italy often want them to become native speakers of at least two languages. We asked those who’ve done it to share their tips and experiences. https://www.thelocal.it/20240507/not-easy-but-worth-it-the-ups-and-downs-of-raising-bilingual-kids-in-italy Tue, 07 May 2024 18:39:48 +0200 not-easy-but-worth-it-the-ups-and-downs-of-raising-bilingual-kids-in-italy As new statistics show the birth rate continues to fall in Italy, what additional support has been introduced for families in 2024 - and how much difference will it make? https://www.thelocal.it/20240404/key-points-what-is-italys-government-doing-to-help-families Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:23:35 +0200 key-points-what-is-italys-government-doing-to-help-families The custom of women taking their husbands' surnames after marriage doesn't exist in Italy. But if you're considering taking your spouse's last name, here are four reasons why you should think twice. https://www.thelocal.it/20240312/why-you-shouldnt-take-your-husbands-surname-in-italy Tue, 12 Mar 2024 14:40:18 +0100 why-you-shouldnt-take-your-husbands-surname-in-italy The number of births in Europe have dropped dramatically in recent years, new statistics reveal. But which countries have seen the biggest drop in the birthrate? https://www.thelocal.it/20240310/compare-where-in-europe-now-has-the-lowest-birth-rate Sun, 10 Mar 2024 11:04:45 +0100 compare-where-in-europe-now-has-the-lowest-birth-rate Italy's school schedules are very different to those in many other countries - and this puts working parents at a disadvantage, writes Silvia Marchetti. https://www.thelocal.it/20231123/opinion-italian-schools-need-to-make-parents-lives-easier-not-harder Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:52:56 +0100 opinion-italian-schools-need-to-make-parents-lives-easier-not-harder As the Italian government prepares its 2024 budget, one thing many are hoping to see is increased financial help for families in a country where the plunging birth rate regularly makes headlines. https://www.thelocal.it/20231010/what-is-italys-government-doing-about-the-falling-birth-rate Tue, 10 Oct 2023 13:40:18 +0200 what-is-italys-government-doing-about-the-falling-birth-rate Italy has various measures in place to support new parents, but it's not always clear what you're entitled to. Here's an overview of how it all works. https://www.thelocal.it/20230213/what-to-know-about-maternity-paternity-and-parental-leave-in-italy Mon, 13 Feb 2023 16:03:03 +0100 what-to-know-about-maternity-paternity-and-parental-leave-in-italy Italy’s healthcare system offers tons of free testing during pregnancy, but how many tests are there exactly, and are they free of charge? Here’s what to expect and when. https://www.thelocal.it/20230529/pregnancy-in-italy-what-are-all-the-tests-youll-need-to-have Mon, 29 May 2023 16:17:56 +0200 pregnancy-in-italy-what-are-all-the-tests-youll-need-to-have