The first 1,000 days of a child's life are pivotal in establishing the foundation for future health, cognitive development, and socio-economic success. During this time, the brain's architecture is formed through continuous dynamic interactions between genetic predispositions and environmental conditions and experiences (Levitt, 2018). Socio-economic status (SES) during early childhood, which measures the availability of material and social resources, is one of the strongest predictors of well-being throughout life (Tooley, Bassett, & Mackey, 2021). Investing in early childhood development yields significant economic benefits by reducing future social costs. The European Child Guarantee aims to ensure that every child in the European Union has access to essential services, including early childhood education and care (ECEC). High-quality ECEC is crucial for laying the groundwork for lifelong learning and social integration, especially for children from vulnerable backgrounds. For the same reasons, Research indicates that early and sustained attendance in high-quality pre-primary education is equally fundamental.

In Italy, on one hand, the participation rate of children under 3 years old in formal childcare has been steadily increasing. In 2023, 34.5% of children aged 0-2 were enrolled in formal childcare structures, up from 30.9% in 2022 (Eurostat, 2024). However, this rate remains below the EU average of 37.5% and the new Barcelona target of 41.7% by 2030. Regarding children with a migratory background, data indicates that their representation in Italian ECEC services is still limited compared to their overall numbers. On the other, the enrollment rate in pre-primary schools is high, with 95% of Italian children aged 3 to 6 attending. However, only 84,1% of children with non-Italian citizenship in the same age group are enrolled, highlighting a disparity that needs to be addressed (Ministero dell'istruzione e del merito, 2024). This underrepresentation underscores the need for targeted actions to promote equal access to early education and high-quality intercultural educational work.

To enhance the coherence and quality of early childhood education, Italy has recently implemented the reform of the integrated 0-6 system (DL 65/2017). This reform aims to promote continuity in the educational and schooling pathway. This was an opportunity to revise the pedagogical guidelines, which emphasize the importance of reducing cultural, social, and relational disadvantages by fostering the full inclusion of all children and supporting the primary educational role of families (Eurydice, 2024). 

Beyond increasing enrollment rates, the quality of educational work within 0-6 services is crucial, particularly concerning intercultural elements. Italy conceives intercultural education as an approach that involves everyone, emphasizing the fundamental role of educators and teachers at all levels in this context. Their perceptions and beliefs are significant, as they act as filters for knowledge, influence problem definition, and guide intentions and actions in a continuous bidirectional dynamic between beliefs and practices.

The topic of educators' and teachers' conceptions regarding cultural diversity has received increasing attention due to its relevance to educational practices (Agostinetto & Bugno, 2020; Bugno, 2022) and its importance within a process of critical awareness and inclusion in contexts of high socio-cultural complexity (Pescarmona, 2021; Zoletto, 2020). Recent studies highlight how beliefs act as filters for knowledge, influence the definition of problems, and guide intentions and actions, in a continuous bidirectional dynamic between beliefs and practices (Civitillo & Juang, 2019).

This paper presents a pilot focused on the conceptions of educators and teachers regarding cultural diversity within the Italian 0-6 integrated system. Understanding these conceptions is essential for promoting effective intercultural education practices and fostering inclusive environments for all children.

This study is part of a broader theoretical and practical research line dedicated to exploring conceptions of cultural diversity in the educational field. It represents also a pilot study with a limited territorial scope (the provinces of Padova and Rovigo), conducted before a larger-scale survey that will be carried out in collaboration with other Italian universities. As stated, it focuses on educators’ and teachers’ intercultural conceptions and educational work in early childhood education and care (ECEC) for children aged 0-6. The primary objective was to identify and gather implicit conceptions of cultural diversity that may have a formative impact on practitioners' daily educational practices, fostering an intercultural approach in educational settings. In other words, this study aims to answer the following research questions: - What are the conceptions of educators and teachers in 0-6 services involved regarding cultural diversity? - What intercultural elements characterize their daily educational work with children? A survey was employed, as it provides a systematic means of collecting quantitative data from a large sample to explore in our case patterns, conceptions, and educational practices within a target population (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2018). The survey was administered online via LimeSurvey between April and May 2024, allowing for wide accessibility and participation. A total of 474 responses were collected, of which 318 were complete. The majority of responses came from educational services in the province of Padova (n=294), while a smaller proportion originated from those in the province of Rovigo (n=24). The questionnaire consisted of 31 items structured into thematic areas, with a single open-ended question. The majority of items utilized Likert scales and multiple-choice questions, designed based on literature related to the topic, and prior research conducted by the research team. The collected demographic data allowed for an analysis of participants' backgrounds, while the core thematic areas explored various intercultural components of early childhood education, including: - Participants’ conceptions related to cultural diversity; - Intercultural (initial/previous and ongoing) training and available resources; - Aspects related to educational planning and curriculum development. - Intercultural practices: methods, content, and collaborations employed; - Perceived effectiveness of educational interventions.

The data analysis is still ongoing. However, the investigation has provided an overview of the conceptions and the intercultural educational work by involved educators and teachers in early childhood services. Concetions is undoubtedly a vast and complex topic, and can only be partially addressed by a study of this nature, which offers a perspective but certainly cannot be exhaustive. Given that, a qualitative approach might be more suitable for delving deeper into these aspects, representing a probable next step for territorial-level research. Nonetheless, based on the data analyzed so far, it can be stated that both educators and teachers involved express a positive, welcoming, enriching, and stimulating view toward their work in multicultural settings. While they acknowledge the challenge of interacting and engaging with children and families from diverse cultural backgrounds, they do not frame it as a problematic issue, but rather as a "normal" part of their work. However, at the current stage of analysis, this finding slightly diverges from the results when participants were asked to reflect on their relation with families from migrant backgrounds. The majority of responses highlighted significant difficulties in communication, understanding, and establishing effective connections with both parents and children. This linguistic barrier is apparent to hinder a range of activities, from meetings and participation in service or school life to difficulties in understanding educational styles and fostering trust. This area represents an important aspect that requires further critical reflection and examination in the ongoing discussion

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