Upcoming political developments

Concerning social inclusion for young people, the major updates are connected with the implementation of the National Plan for Social Interventions and Services 2024-2026, which points to several forward-looking directions:

• Consolidation of Essential Levels of Social Services (LEPS) for minors: the progressive definition of enforceable minimum levels lays the groundwork for a genuine individual right to social services.​
• Multifunctional Spaces as a national model: the current experimentation is designed to scale into a replicable national framework, integrating schools, local social areas, the Third Sector and families.​
• Expansion of the Care Leavers (see 4.6) scheme to young people followed by social services without a formal removal order, broadening access to autonomy-building pathways.​
• Synergy between PNRR and National Inclusion Programme: combined funding (€1.45 billion from PNRR Mission 5, Component 2, plus the National Inclusion Programme 2021–2027) could generate a stable socio-educational infrastructure for youth services.

Despite the Plan's programmatic ambition, several structural vulnerabilities stand out. The most persistent concern is the deep territorial divide between North and South of Italy, visible across all indicators — from NEET rates to school dropout and child poverty — which current measures appear unlikely to bridge in the short term. The Plan itself acknowledges that many Local Social Areas have yet to finalise their monitoring modules, meaning that financial and impact figures must be treated as provisional rather than definitive.​

A further risk lies in the post-PNRR sustainability gap. Several flagship programmes — including P.I.P.P.I., professional supervision and protected discharge — are funded through the PNRR with a 2026 deadline, and there is no clear guarantee of continued financing beyond that point, which could abruptly interrupt services that are still in an experimental phase. Alongside this financial uncertainty, the Plan acknowledges a demographic paradox: while the number of children and young people is declining, their levels of fragility and vulnerability are rising, making it necessary to rethink service models rather than simply maintain existing ones.​

Mental health also emerges as an underaddressed area. The pandemic significantly worsened psychological wellbeing among young people — particularly girls — yet psychological support within the Multifunctional Spaces remains experimental and has not been codified as an Essential Level of Social Provision, leaving it exposed to inconsistent implementation across territories. Finally, despite rhetoric around co-design and participation, the voice of young people in the actual planning of policies that affect them remains marginal compared to what European youth work standards would require, with consultation mechanisms still limited in scope and largely advisory.