What is it?
As of 2021, Portugal has implemented a new free childcare/nursery system aimed at providing accessible early childhood education and care for families across the country. This new system offers universal access to free childcare and nursery services for children within a certain age range.
The system fully is funded by the government, ensuring that families do not have to bear the financial burden of childcare expenses during the early years of their children's lives. The system upholds rigorous quality standards to ensure that children receive high-quality care and education in a safe and nurturing environment. This includes requirements for qualified staff, appropriate facilities and curriculum.
Social Security will take over the entire cost-sharing for families, including the following expenses:
- Activities and services usually provided by nurseries (nutrition, pedagogical, play and motor skills activities, among others);
- Food, including special diets on medical prescription;
- Registration process, renewal and insurance;
- Extended hours and weekly extensions.
Not included are the costs of activities outside the educational project, which are optional such as:
- Purchase of diapers
- Uniforms and school uniforms
- Transportation services
The family's social and economic assessment will be considered. However, there is a prioritization criteria:
- Children who have attended nursery school in the previous year;
- Children with disabilities;
- Children of mothers and fathers who are underage students, or beneficiaries of personal assistance within the scope of Support for Independent Living or recognized as the main informal caregiver, or children in foster care or in shelters;
- Children with siblings, who demonstrably belong to the same household, attending a service provided by the same organization;
- Children benefiting from the social benefit Garantia para a Infância and/or the family allowance for children and young people (1st and 2nd brackets), whose guardians can be proven to live in the area of influence of the social service;
- Children who are beneficiaries of the social benefit Garantia para a Infância and/or with family allowances for children and young people (1st and 2nd levels), whose guardians demonstrably work in the area of influence of the social response
- Children in single-parent households or large families, whose guardians can be proven to live in the area of influence of the social response;
- Children whose guardians can be proven to live in the area of influence of the social response;
- Children in single-parent households or large families whose guardians have a proven professional activity in the area of influence of the social response;
- Children whose guardians have a proven professional activity in the area of influence of the social response.