Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage in Early Childhood: Integrating Social Work and Education through Participatory and Reflective Parenting Support

Effective responses to child neglect in vulnerable situations require sustained parenting support and opportunities for reflective practice. Collaboration between social services and ECEC providers is a key condition for integrated approaches to child and family well-being. Yet, in many systems, it remains underdeveloped. The "Child’s World: Maps to Explore the 0–3" is a participatory assessment tool designed to support professionals and caregivers in jointly observing and interpreting the developmental needs of children aged 0–3. It was developed within P.I.P.P.I., a national parenting support program for vulnerable families in Italy. This article explores the tool’s potential as a reflective and participatory assessment practice to enhance parenting support and foster cross-sectoral collaboration in early childhood services. It draws on a plural mixed-method approach combining quantitative survey data with qualitative evidence from practitioner focus groups and parent interviews. In a context marked by a deficit of specialized training and age-appropriate tools, findings show that the tool strengthened professionals’ observational and reflective skills, fostered interprofessional collaboration, and supported parents in developing more intentional and responsive caregiving practices. At the same time, barriers emerged, including language complexity, limited cultural adaptation, and organizational constraints. Overall, the results highlight the transformative potential of the tool when applied in a participatory and dialogical way, and point to the need for further training, organizational support, and adapted versions of the tool to expand its use and fully exploit its value as a reflective and participatory device.