The Reggio Emilia Approach system is made up of the Istituzione of Preschools and Infant-toddler Centres, Reggio Children and the Fondazione Reggio Children - Centro Loris Malaguzzi.
The Reggio Emilia Approach® is born, grown and renewed in Reggio Emilia’s municipal infant-toddler centres (0-3 years) and preschools (3-6 years), the places where the educational project, based on the values and foundational traits, is moved forward every day. Reggio Emilia’s municipal early childhood centres are managed by the Istituzione of Infant-toddler Centres and Preschools, a specific body created by the municipality in 2003 to safeguard the qualities and values of the educational services, and allow them to grow, with autonomous culture, pedagogy and management. The Istituzione has its own budget, and staff nominated by the city mayor.
Reggio Children s.r.l. was founded in 1994 to promote and defend the rights of children on local, national and international levels, and to organise pedagogical and cultural exchanges between Reggio Emilia’s municipal early childhood centres, and teachers, academics and researchers around the world. As well as its own activities – professional development and education, exhibitions, publishing, ateliers, consulting and research – Reggio Children, in collaboration with other partners in the System, has also run the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre since 2006.
In 2006 Reggio Children International Network was also created. A tool to let the world know more about the Reggio Emilia Approach®; it is made up of representatives from countries which have collaborated in more stable ways with Reggio Children on the creation of initiatives and activities.
The Fondazione Reggio Children - Centro Loris Malaguzzi was established in 2011 with the aim of promoting solidarity projects through research, and improving the life of children and communities through the promotion of quality education in Reggio Emilia, in Italy, and in the world.