Abstract

While the EU Recovery Strategy is centered on the so-called twin transitions (ecological and digital), both reforms and investments are also concentrated on social policy. This is particularly the case of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) that largely finance the Italian RRP (Recovery and Resilience Plan) that lists measures in different areas: labour market; social inclusion, LTC and healthcare. The present article sheds light on the RRF through the integration of two analytical approaches: the one on governance effectiveness; and the one on policy design. Italy is proposed as a hard test for the effectiveness of the RRF. Evidence from the field of childcare shows both opportunities and risks for the possible turn towards the social investment approach of the Italian welfare.