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“Creche Feliz” – Free Nursery Network

What is this gratuity measure?

As of September, all nurseries (creche) from the social and solidarity sector and the Social Security nannies will be free for children born on or after the 1st of September of 2021. This gratuity will accompany the child during the years they attend the nursery and it includes all the expenses with activities and regularly provided services.


Who can benefit?

  • All children born on and after the 1st of September of 2021, that attend the social nurseries, family nurseries and Social Security nannies.

  • This measure also applies to children born before the 1st of September of 2021, which are covered by the 1º and 2º income bracket of “comparticipação familiar”


What does this gratuity encompass?

Social Security will take on the following expenses:

  • activities and services which are normally provided by the nurseries (nutrition, personal hygiene, pedagogical, recreational and motor skills activities, among others);

  • food,

  • registration process, renewals and insurance

  • extended hours and weekly extension

The expenses with optional activities outside the pedagogical project that the institutions intend to develop, as well as the ones parents or legal representatives enroll the children, are not included. The purchase of school uniforms is also not included.


Who has priority getting the vacancies

The family’s social and economic assessment will be taken into account. However, there are prioritization criteria:

  • Children who have attended daycare in the previous year;

  • Children with disabilities/incapacity;

  • Children of mothers and fathers who are underage students, or recipients of personal assistance under the Support for Independent Living or recognized informal primary caregiver, or children in foster care or in a shelter home;

  • Children with siblings, who can be proven to belong to the same household, who attend the “resposta social”

  • Children who are beneficiaries of the “Garantia para a infância” social benefit and/or with “Abono de família para crianças e jovens” (1st and 2nd brackets), whose parents demonstrably live in the area of influence of the social response;

  • Children in single-parent or large families, whose parents are proven to live in the area of influence of the social response;

  • Children whose parents are proven to live in the area of influence of the social response;

  • Children in single-parent or large families whose parents have a proven professional activity in the area of influence of the social response;

  • Children whose parents are proven to work in the area of influence of the social response.

F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)


Where can I find which nurseries are covered by this measure?

All nurseries with a cooperation agreement with Social Security are covered by this measured and can be consulted on this list (Excel sheet).


Can I choose which nursery my child is going to attend?

The families are able to choose the nursery where they wish their child to attend, as long as there are vacancies in the solidarity network


Are private nurseries covered by the gratuity?

At this time, private nurseries are not covered


I already paid for registration and insurance (children born after September 1, 2021). When will I get my money back?

No rules have been set regarding this refund, so information should be requested from the respective daycare center


How can I find out my “escalão de rendimento de comparticipação familiar”? (family contribution income bracket)

You should clarify with the day-care centre you are attending, as this question depends on its internal regulations, taking into consideration the “portaria 196-A/2015 de 1 de julho”.

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