Children's Independent Mobility

A Review of Recent Italian Literature

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present a synthesis of the Italian research on children’s independent mobility. The aspects taken into consideration include methodological issues related to measuring children's independent mobility, the level of independent mobility, and the factors that foster or constrain it. In synthesis, the importance of demographic, environmental and cultural factors are confirmed, as well as parents’ and children’s fears. On examining the research in detail, however, elements emerge that are useful for a deeper analysis of the phenomenon. Italian research shows itself to be original in studies about the consequences of children’s reduced autonomy outdoors. This work concludes with a discussion of the indications that can be drawn from the Italian research for environmental childfriendliness.