The 'complicated' choice of motherhood in Italia

Mother's Day

When grandparents are far away: the distance that changes the economics of motherhood

Geographical mobility distances families of origin and turns childcare into an increasing cost

by Ilaria Potenza

10 May 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Distance from the place of origin has become a real economic variable of motherhood. In Italia, where grandparents' support has historically compensated for the shortcomings of the child welfare system, the fact that an increasing share of parents live and work far from their family of origin profoundly changes the organisation of care and women's participation in the labour market.

Over 20 per cent of Italians, according to Istat data, change their municipality during their working life and about one third of young adults reside in a region other than their region of origin. This phenomenon concerns above all the 25-39 age group, leading to a growing geographical separation between mothers and grandparents precisely in the years of fertility.

Grandparents' Welfare

The role of grandparents then remains central. Around 64% of children are entrusted to them when they are not with their parents or at school, and almost 70% of families with children under twelve make use of them. Istat surveys also highlight the economic value of this informal work. Estimates on so-called 'family welfare' indicate that the care work performed by grandparents can be worth up to EUR 18 billion, or about 1.2 per cent of GDP, resulting in savings of up to EUR 3 thousand a year in care services.

Expenditure on the support network

When this network fails, immediate costs emerge. Families have to buy on the market what was previously guaranteed free of charge, think of babysitters, private nurseries, educational services, but for many, access remains limited. Fifty per cent of mothers who do not use the crèche considerthe cost as the main obstacle, while more than 11% report the lack of places.

The consequences are directly reflected at work: only 57% of mothers with young children are employed, compared to almost 90% of fathers. Distance from the family network thus affects the possibility of remaining in the labour market, increasing the risk of interruptions and involuntary part-time work.

The 'alternative' networks

It is in this space of fragility that, especially in urban areas, solutions are emerging that seek to compensate for the loss of the family network through new service models.

In Florence, Spazio Co-Stanza has developed a coworking model in which the work area is integrated with a space dedicated to children. A similar approach can be found in Rome, in the Centocelle district, where L'Alveare combines shared workstations and educational services for children, with a focus on the early years.

Moving on to Bergamo, Upperlab Family Smartworking provides offices and workshops for children in the same building, while in Palermo, the Moms Working project offers free workspaces for working mothers flanked by care services and activities for children, with the aim of supporting female employment. In Bari, the Mama Happy cooperative integrates coworking, activities for children and mutual aid groups between families. A different approach is that of Save the Children's Spazio Mamme project, active in a number of Italian cities, which intervenes especially in socially fragile situations with educational services and accompanying parenting paths.

Yet the fragmented and unequal nature of these solutions is evident. Care is no longer guaranteed by public welfare, but depends on a combination of income, territory and access to often still limited services. Where these conditions are lacking, the cost of parenting increases and labour participation decreases. In this sense, distance is not just a geographical variable, but a factor that redefines the economic functioning of the family and, indirectly, of the labour market. And it is precisely on this distance, more than on the mere supply of services, that a significant part of the balance between female employment and sustainable parenthood is played out today.