The legal framework
Early childhood education (educación infantil) has two cycles under the Organic Law on Education (LOE 2006, as amended by the LOMLOE 2020): 0-3, provided by public, subsidised and private escuelas infantiles authorised by the autonomous community, with fees set by the region or municipality on a sliding scale; and 3-6, free in public and state-funded (concertado) schools, with 97 % of three-year-olds enrolled although it is not compulsory. Public 0-3 places are scarce in cities and allocated by points (income, siblings, work); several regions have made the first cycle free — Galicia since 2022, Madrid in its public network since 2023, Valencia for two-year-olds, the Basque Country and Andalusia with bonuses — under a national plan to create 65,000 places funded by EU recovery money. The maternity tax credit (deducción por maternidad) of 1,200 euros a year for working mothers of under-threes is increased by up to 1,000 euros for nursery fees. Birth and childcare leave (permiso por nacimiento y cuidado del menor) is 16 weeks for each parent, equal and non-transferable since 2021, paid at 100 % by Social Security, and the 2025 reform raises it to 19 weeks from 2026 (17 plus 2 weeks usable until the child is 8); unpaid leave for childcare (excedencia) is possible until the child is 3 with job protection, and reduced hours (reducción de jornada) until 12. Nannies and au pairs work under the domestic-employment regime with Social Security registration.
British families in Spain find a system more generous than the English one at the top and thinner at the bottom: free nursery school from age 3 in the local public school, with lunch and extended hours for a fee, but few public places under 3 unless the region has made them free, so most working parents pay a private guardería (300 to 700 euros a month, well below London prices) or a nanny. Spanish state schools accept all resident children, and the pre-school year is where most expatriate children learn Spanish — or Valencian, Catalan and Basque in the bilingual regions.
Registration is territorial: a family needs the padrón (municipal registration) to apply for public places, which are allocated in spring for September on a points system that favours proximity, siblings and income. British parents working in Spain get the same leave as Spaniards through Social Security; those employed by a UK company remotely have UK rights, not Spanish ones. UK childcare support (Tax-Free Childcare, the 15/30 free hours) stops on leaving the UK; the Spanish maternity credit requires Spanish tax residence and Social Security contributions.
Key points
| Cycles | 0-3: escuelas infantiles, public, subsidised or private, fees by region; 3-6: free in public and concertado schools, 97 % enrolment at 3 |
|---|---|
| Public 0-3 places | Scarce in cities; allocated by points; free first cycle in Galicia, Madrid (public network), Valencia (age 2) and others; national plan of 65,000 new places |
| Private nurseries | 300 to 700 euros a month depending on the city and hours; regional cheque-guardería in some regions |
| Tax | Maternity credit of 1,200 euros a year for working mothers of under-threes, plus up to 1,000 euros for nursery fees |
| Leave | 16 weeks for each parent, equal, non-transferable, paid at 100 %; 19 weeks from 2026; unpaid leave with job protection until 3; reduced hours until 12 |
| Nannies and au pairs | Domestic-employment regime: contract, Social Security registration; au pairs under the family-hosting scheme |
| Registration | Municipal padrón required for public places; applications in spring for September |
In practice
- Register on the padrón as soon as you have an address: it is the key to public nursery and school places, allocated in April-May for September on points (proximity, siblings, income, disability).
- Apply to the regional or municipal escuela infantil for 0-3 and check whether your region has made it free; keep a private guardería as a fallback, since public places are decided late.
- From the September after the child's third birthday, enrol at the public school of your catchment area: free, with paid lunch (comedor) and early-morning club; concertado schools are free but may charge for extras.
- Claim the maternity credit and the nursery supplement in the income tax return (or monthly in advance through form 140); keep the nursery's invoices — only authorised centres qualify.
- Register a nanny with Social Security under the domestic-employment regime (the employer pays the contributions) and give a written contract; undeclared work exposes you to fines and leaves the nanny uninsured.
Cost and coverage
Public nursery school from 3 free (lunch about 100 to 150 euros a month, extended hours extra); public 0-3 from free to about 300 euros a month by income, free in several regions; private 0-3 from 300 to 700 euros a month; nanny from 1,300 to 2,000 euros a month gross plus contributions; au pair about 300 euros a month pocket money plus board.
Recent changes
Several regions made 0-3 free between 2022 and 2024 (Galicia, Madrid's public network, Valencia for two-year-olds) and the EU-funded plan added tens of thousands of public places; birth leave became equal for both parents in 2021 and is extended to 19 weeks from 2026; the maternity credit was extended in 2023 to unemployed mothers receiving benefits.
Where to go
- Regional education department (consejería de educación) and town hall: applications for public escuelas infantiles and schools.
- Social Security (seg-social.es): birth and childcare leave, domestic-employment registration.
- Tax Agency (agenciatributaria.es): maternity credit and nursery supplement (form 140).
- Regional family-support portals (cheque guardería, bonuses); for British families, the British Council and the consulates' Living in Spain guide.
Worth knowing
Under three, the public system will not carry you: apply early, plan for a private guardería, and remember that free nursery school from age 3 is the moment most expatriate children switch to Spanish. And the British 15 or 30 free hours and Tax-Free Childcare end when you leave the UK — the Spanish maternity credit replaces them only for mothers paying Spanish Social Security.
Frequently asked questions
Is nursery free in Spain?
From the September after the child turns 3, yes, in public and concertado schools (lunch and extra hours are paid); under 3 it depends on the region: free in Galicia, in Madrid's public network and for two-year-olds in Valencia, means-tested elsewhere, with private nurseries at 300 to 700 euros a month. Places under 3 are limited, so apply in the spring round and keep a private option.
How much paternity leave does a father get in Spain?
The same as the mother: 16 weeks of birth leave, paid at 100 % by Social Security, non-transferable, of which the first six weeks must be taken immediately after the birth and the rest within the first year; 19 weeks from 2026. Both parents may also take unpaid leave with job protection until the child is three and reduce their hours until twelve. This applies to employees and the self-employed registered with Spanish Social Security.
Can I get help with childcare costs as a British parent in Spain?
If you pay Spanish income tax and Social Security, yes: the maternity credit of 1,200 euros a year for working mothers of under-threes, plus up to 1,000 euros for authorised nursery fees, and any regional cheque-guardería. UK support schemes stop when you leave the UK. Working remotely for a UK employer without Spanish contributions gives no Spanish entitlement — a reason to regularise your status.
Official sources and links
- Civil Code — articles 90-94 and 154-160 (custody, parental authority) — BOE
- General Council of the Judiciary — child maintenance calculator — official tables
- GOV.UK — international child abduction (ICACU) — Hague Convention 1980
- Administración General del Estado — administracion.gob.es — official portal of Spanish public services, with pages in English
- Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) — Spanish legislation, official and consolidated texts
- British Consulates in Spain — gov.uk — living in Spain guide, consular help, lists of English-speaking lawyers