Over 1.6 million workers, 90% of whom are women, and a 50% rate of informal employment. Domestic work today represents one of the hidden pillars of Italy’s family-based welfare system — yet it remains one of the most fragile and unregulated sectors.

In response to this scenario, Nuova Collaborazione – National Association of Domestic Employers, in partnership with the Luigi Einaudi Research Center, has promoted a new study entitled:

“Domestic Work and Training – Strategies to Bridge the Gender Gap and Strengthen Family Welfare.”

This research provides a detailed snapshot of the sector’s vulnerabilities, while also highlighting its potential for transformation.
The goal is ambitious: to place domestic work at the center of inclusion, equity, and social cohesion — through innovative policies, smart fiscal measures, and a new welfare paradigm shared by families, institutions, and workers.

Key findings of the study include:

• The persistent gender gap that disproportionately affects women, especially after motherhood.

• Regional inequalities in access to care services, with a sharp divide between northern and southern Italy.

• The aging domestic workforce (average age: 51 years) and a low rate of certified training (only 4%).

The Proposals: A New Social Pact for Care Work

The study outlines concrete, structural proposals designed to support families and enhance the value of domestic work:

• “Fiscal backpack”: a flexible and transferable tax credit to cover care and assistance expenses.

• Public contribution for the regular employment of certified workers, tied to household income (ISEE).

• Domestic hiring bonus, with reimbursements of up to 84% of expenses for babysitters and caregivers.

• Investments in training, including incentives for families, a national register of certified workers, and the standardization of regional training programs.

Local Roots, National Impact

This research continues Nuova Collaborazione’s path of advocacy and innovation, begun in 2023 with the publication of “The Potential of Domestic Work – Policy Proposals”. It aims to build a fairer and more sustainable welfare model, aligned with the values and goals of Turin’s social innovation ecosystem. The contribution of the Luigi Einaudi Research Center underscores the importance of integrating research, advocacy, and policy design to generate high-impact, systemic solutions.

Click here to read “Domestic Work and Training – Strategies to Bridge the Gender Gap and Strengthen Family Welfare”, the new study by Nuova Collaborazione, curated by the Einaudi Research Center.