The new daycare center will initially accommodate 46 children, divided into 14 places in the nursery, 14 for toddlers up to 24 months, and 18 for children aged 24 to 36 months.
The facility will operate with extended hours, seven days a week, in two shifts, “providing support to families with irregular shifts, particularly single-parent or families without a support network,” stated a press release from CIMRL.
With an investment of 1.7 million euros, funded 85% by the Centro 2030 Regional Program, the remaining amount will be covered by the municipalities within the CIMRL, with contribution shares yet to be determined.
The project is expected to be completed within 12 months, with the daycare slated to open in October 2026.
“This is an innovative project given its nature and represents a significant opportunity to provide family and professional stability to the healthcare professionals of this hospital,” said the president of CIMRL.
Gonçalo Lopes, who also serves as the mayor of Leiria, noted that this initiative “will help attract and retain young professionals and families, whether they are doctors, nurses, or other healthcare workers, by offering this support which serves as another incentive to find Leiria an attractive place to work, especially in the health sector.”
The Minister of Labor, Solidarity, and Social Security, Rosário Palma Ramalho, acknowledged in Leiria today that Portugal faces “a terrible birth rate problem,” emphasizing the need to “carefully consider young families who want to balance family life with a professional career.”
“If mothers wanted to stay at home, daycare centers wouldn’t be as necessary. But mothers, very rightfully, want to continue working. Fathers, equally rightfully, want to continue working and still be parents. Therefore, daycare facilities play a crucial role,” she emphasized.
The minister noted that “projects like this add a significant value compared to all public daycare programs because they arise at a regional level, addressing identified needs in that context.”
Rosário Palma Ramalho suggested this model could be replicated in companies “because it allows parents to advance their careers at that company while feeling assured, knowing there is a place nearby for their children.”
“Institutional interest in meeting the reconciliation needs of their employees’ professional and family lives is always a bonus. This is what we truly need. It’s not about establishing highly structured public models from the outset and expecting everyone to adapt. It’s about embracing the initiatives of the institutions,” she added.
The president of the Local Health Unit of the Leiria Region (ULSRL), Manuel Carvalho, mentioned that “this inter-municipal daycare project embodies the two core values of the current ULSRL board: commitment and proximity.”
“Commitment, because we daily shoulder the responsibility to find innovative solutions that improve the lives of our professionals, our patients, and their families. Proximity, because we believe that health is not just delivered within the hospital walls but also in people’s everyday lives and communities,” emphasized Manuel Carvalho.
