CHILDCARE

CRECHES

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🔗 KEY LINKS

SEGURANÇA SOCIAL

PRACTICAL GUIDE

FAMILY ALLOWANCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE & CHILDREN

📍 KEY LOCATIONS

Santa Casa da Misericórdia (for those who live in Lisbon)

Balcão da Segurança Social (secondary option)

WHAT IS IT?

Choosing a nursery or a pre-school for your children is not an easy task. Childcare options are available throughout the country, though availability can vary depending on the region and demand. Urban areas for example, usually have more options compared to rural regions.

Childcare centers in Portugal typically follow a structured curriculum that focuses on early childhood development. This includes activities to promote cognitive, social, emotional, physical development, and language learning.

To find available and reliable nurseries and kindergartens/pre-school with a license (licensed by the Câmara Municipal), you can consult this 🔗 link and select the geographical area you want (district, municipality, parish).

There are two different main types of nurseries in Portugal:

Private - similar to other countries, the parents bear 100% responsibility for the tuition fees and any other costs that may exist (enrollment, registration, food, etc...). These schools generally have high prices that don't correspond to the economic capacity of most of the country.

Public - private schools are financed in part by the government (managed by IPSS) and the rest is the responsibility of the parents. The amount paid by parents in public-private nurseries is established according to the household's income.

WHO CAN APPLY?

In Portugal, this kind of service is available to Portuguese citizens and holders of valid residence permit

The nursery is for children aged between 3 months and 3 years. Pre-school education is for children aged 3 to 6.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE

1. Look for nurseries/ preschools in your area of residence in the year prior to desired enrollment.

2. Visit or call the establishment in advance and ask what specific documentation they require.

3. Ask when the deadline is for enrollment.

4. It is not uncommon to get wait-listed. There is high demand, especially in Lisbon, and a tip is to apply to more than one to make sure you get a spot

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

The following documents are usually required (some establishments may ask for different ones):

The child's Citizen Card.

If you don't have this document, you must present:

tax identification number (NIF), social security identification number (NISS) and National Health Service user number (SNS);

residence permit of the parent acting as guardian;

document regulating parental authority, if any;

proof of household composition validated by the Tax Authority, if the guardian is not the child's father or mother. This document can be obtained from the Finanças Portal;

Proof of an up-to-date National Vaccination Program.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How to get Social Support for Children Accessing ‘Creche’ and ‘Pré-Escolar’ ?	Children from 3 months to 3 years old have access to Creche. Children between the ages of 3 and 6 (age where mandatory school begins) have access to pre-school education when: 1. the equipment and services are available in the area where they live or reasonably close by; 2. the institutions in the social and solidarity sector have the capacity to receive them. In addition to this support, it can also be combined with: 1. Family allowance (Abono de Família) for children and young people. 2. Increase (Majoração) for single-parent families (if the child or young person lives with a single adult). 3. Increase (Majoração) in the amount of family allowance for second, third or more children (for children aged 12 to 36 months, if there is more than one child).
What are the parents' obligations?	Their obligations are to pay a tuition fee, which will be calculated based on the household's per capita income and according to the regulations on family contributions for the use of social services and facilities. You must also comply with the internal regulations of the institutions where you receive support.
When does the support end?	Support ends when the child exceeds the age limit (3 years), OR when the parent or guardian does not comply with the internal regulations of the institution where they receive support.
Who is considered a member of the household?	Household members are people who live in a shared economy and have the following ties between them: - Spouse, or person in a de facto union for more than two years; - Major relatives, such as Parents; Parents-in-law; Stepfather, Stepmother, Children, Stepchildren, Son-in-law, Daughter-in-law.. - Younger family members both directly related and extended. - Adopted children and minors under legal guardianship.
Is the family contribution for attending a pre-school (kindergarten) calculated in the same way?	Pre-schools are for children aged between 3 and the age at which they enter elementary school. The pre-school education networks are made up of a public network, which includes pre-school education establishments operating under public and local administration, and a private network, which includes establishments operating in private or cooperative educational institutions, in Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS) or similar. - Public pre-school network is generally attached to primary schools & is free of charge. - There are also Private establishments where parents pay a monthly fee and there is no state contribution. - Finally, there are the IPSS, whose educational component is funded by the Ministry of Education, receiving a child/month amount stipulated annually by Joint Order of the Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security and the Ministry of Education. - Regarding the parents' family contribution for pre-school in the IPSS, the respective monthly fee and its calculation can be found at the following 🔗 link

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How to get Social Support for Children Accessing ‘Creche’ and ‘Pré-Escolar’ ?

Children from 3 months to 3 years old have access to Creche. Children between the ages of 3 and 6 (age where mandatory school begins) have access to pre-school education when:

1. the equipment and services are available in the area where they live or reasonably close by;

2. the institutions in the social and solidarity sector have the capacity to receive them.

In addition to this support, it can also be combined with:

1. Family allowance (Abono de Família) for children and young people.

2. Increase (Majoração) for single-parent families (if the child or young person lives with a single adult).

3. Increase (Majoração) in the amount of family allowance for second, third or more children (for children aged 12 to 36 months, if there is more than one child).

What are the parents' obligations?

Their obligations are to pay a tuition fee, which will be calculated based on the household's per capita income and according to the regulations on family contributions for the use of social services and facilities. You must also comply with the internal regulations of the institutions where you receive support.

When does the support end?

Support ends when the child exceeds the age limit (3 years), OR when the parent or guardian does not comply with the internal regulations of the institution where they receive support.

Who is considered a member of the household?

Household members are people who live in a shared economy and have the following ties between them:

- Spouse, or person in a de facto union for more than two years;

- Major relatives, such as Parents;

Parents-in-law; Stepfather, Stepmother, Children, Stepchildren, Son-in-law, Daughter-in-law..

- Younger family members both directly related and extended.

- Adopted children and minors under legal guardianship.

Is the family contribution for attending a pre-school (kindergarten) calculated in the same way?

Pre-schools are for children aged between 3 and the age at which they enter elementary school. The pre-school education networks are made up of a public network, which includes pre-school education establishments operating under public and local administration, and a private network, which includes establishments operating in private or cooperative educational institutions, in Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS) or similar.

- Public pre-school network is generally attached to primary schools & is free of charge.

- There are also Private establishments where parents pay a monthly fee and there is no state contribution.

- Finally, there are the IPSS, whose educational component is funded by the Ministry of Education, receiving a child/month amount stipulated annually by Joint Order of the Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security and the Ministry of Education.

- Regarding the parents' family contribution for pre-school in the IPSS, the respective monthly fee and its calculation can be found at the following 🔗 link

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