Soprasotto is a self-managed nursery that was open in 2013 by parents to find a solution to the fact that their children were not admitted to the public crèche as the application requirements are still linked to traditional permanent employment and they do not take into account the trasformations occurred in the labour market resulting in forms of employment that do not have precise working hours, such as self-employment, precarious work, freelance jobs. In Milan, the number of places available in public crèches (the pre-school education in crèches is not compulsory) is not sufficient to satisfy the demand: the places available are 10 thousand resulting in about 3 thousand children who cannot be admitted to nursery schools (30%).

The monthly fee charged to parents by Sottosopra is 350 Euros, an average amount of the fees charged by public crèches in Milan ranging from 180 to 480 Euros per month. Fees charged by private crèches ranges from 650 to 900 Euros per month. Sottosopra currently has 10 children enrolled in it, and it employs two teachers who work under a regular full-time contract. Decisions are taken in the general meeting where all parents are involved in. 

Four years after its foundation, the outcomes achieved are positive: it was attended by 35 children of young freelancers and self-employed people who, despite their precarious income, could not access public crèches

 For more details, you can read the storytelling of Soprasotto in the book "Generazioni Precarie.  Una conricerca tra percezione del rischio, bisogni emergenti, welfare dal basso”,  that is part of  “Commonfare Book Series“

Here the complete report in english

Associazione Soprasotto c/o Associazione culturale Medionauta

via Confalonieri 2, 20124 Milano, Italia

sottosopra.laboratorio@gmail.com