The Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security (MTSSS) reported that 126,105 children are in the ‘Creche Feliz’ program. Of these, only 32 are covered by the first and second income brackets, qualifying them for a free spot irrespective of the program’s existence.
These figures signify an increase compared to the 98,793 children who benefited from the program in the 2023-2024 academic year. Since the inception of ‘Creche Feliz,’ 213,185 children have received support.
The government has not disclosed how many eligible children are on waiting lists for free daycare spots. These lists are managed by entities based on prioritization criteria in current regulations, such as continuity in response, children with disabilities, and recipients of the Childhood Guarantee social provision. It is also noted that several applications can exist for the same child across various daycare centers.
The MTSSS informs that families can check available daycare spots through the ‘Creche Feliz’ app, which recorded 8,990 support requests for the 2024-2025 academic year. Of these requests, 8,674 were completed, and 316 are under review.
In its ongoing digital transition process, Social Security is developing a platform to assist families and institutions in globally monitoring daycare waiting lists in a simple and accessible manner.
The ministry states that the network currently provides 132,109 spaces. The forthcoming digital platform will help update coverage rates, facilitating planning and increasing the number of available spots based on a more precise assessment of territorial needs.
The ‘Creche Feliz’ program network includes 1,944 social network daycare centers, 565 private, and 20 public ones. Initially, the program had 1,867 participating establishments.
The government pays institutions 519.90 euros per child monthly under ‘Creche Feliz.’ A study by Edulog, an education think tank of the Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation, revealed that nursery coverage rates have increased in recent years, although only 48% of children under three were enrolled in 2023.
The socialist government under António Costa launched the ‘Creche Feliz’ program to ensure free daycare for all children born after September 2021.
