Every year the same thing happens: there are no places in public nurseries and kindergartens. But this year the problem has worsened. Social Security has received instructions from “higher up” to postpone registrations in private nurseries under the Happy Creche programme, which also caused a delay in updating data in Social Security Direct. Now, there are children who have not yet been accepted in nurseries and others who, despite being accepted, do not yet have their data on the respective platform, which means that state support for these children is not guaranteed.

But the problems do not end there: for older children, preschoolers, the government promised an extension of the Happy Creche, but did not define the rules for this measure. Now, there are institutions that do not know what to do and children at home because their parents do not have the financial means to pay the monthly fees required by the institutions.

But let’s take it one step at a time: the educational institutions that the Observer contacted, to understand exactly what was happening with the Happy Creche program – after receiving reports from many parents who were having difficulty finding a nursery or kindergarten for their children – refer to. at least three problems with the operation of the program (two related to nursery school and one to preschool). Created by the previous government, this programme was initially aimed at children born before 1 September 2021 covered by the 1st and 2nd scale. Currently, all children born after this date have free access to the nursery network, but this year, school directors tell the Observer, the process is not going well.

It is not possible to know for sure how many children are being affected by these delays in the management of the Happy Creche program by the Social Security. But, among the dozen institutions with which El Observador maintained contacts on this subject, there are more than one hundred cases of children whose families are suspended, without knowing, already in September, what the school situation of the children will be for the rest of the school year.

There were “superior orders not to approve” requests

If it were a year like any other, private nurseries would have started receiving a code issued by Social Security during the month of July or August, long before the start of the school year. This code allowed parents to request free access to the Happy Creche application, which was then evaluated and approved by Social Security. After this approval, the nursery would enter the child’s data into the Direct Social Security, thus ensuring payment by the State.

This is where the first problem arises: in 2024, the deadline for this process ended on September 5, but “this year, for the first time, it was not possible” to comply with it, said Susana Batista, director of ACPEEP (Association of Nurseries and Small Private Educational Establishments). “Social Security did not approve the families’ applications, [por isso] many are not guaranteed for free.”

“They talk about higher orders not to approve, but We don’t understand why they are delaying the processes.”, adds the director of the association. The Observer raised this issue with Social Security twice, but did not receive clear clarifications on the situation until the publication of this article. In response, it simply said that “this is a process that involves several partners and steps (…) and the generation of codes may not be immediate”. But the reason for this year’s delay in issuing the codes, compared to previous years, is not explained.

Among the “victims” of this delay are students from Externato Passos Manuel and Creche e Jardim de Infância Quintarola, both in Lisbon. In total, these two individuals are still waiting for Social Security to validate 16 registrations of minors. “I was left with seven children to validate in Quintarola and in Passos Manuel there were nine”says Vera Sousa, responsible for implementing the Happy Creche program in this teaching group, adding that she receives frequent calls from parents concerned about their children’s academic situation.

In the case of these two educational institutions, tutors will not be required to pay the monthly fee for the month of September. “I’m waiting [da Segurança Social]. I have liquidity in the nursery to be able to replenish Social Security until they give the ok” says Vera Sousa. The same does not happen in other private institutions.

Government statement on the “Happy Nursery” program: Susana Baptista says that “we need to know how the support will work”

The university is missing €11,500. “We ask parents for a monthly fee”

The problems at Creche Feliz are more complicated. This is because, although in some nurseries the Social Security has validated the registration of the children, the The data was not updated on Social Security Direct, the platform through which payments are made.In other words: if there is no data on this platform, the State will not pay the monthly fees for these children.

“In many cases, the Families had to pay this month September to ensure that the child has a place [até a Segurança Social atualizar os dados]. On average, it is 400 euros,” he says. This is the case of the Colégio do Forte, in Vila do Conde, in the district of Porto. Social Security was late in “updating data in the application”Susana Batista complains. At stake are 40 children, that is, 40 monthly payments pending, which translates into about 16,000 euros.

A similar situation is currently being experienced by the BA-Baby School in Oeiras. The problem began, once again, with the delay in validating the children’s registrations, but “There was an effort by Social Security to postpone the cases,” which even sent “emails at 11pm on Sunday”says director Ana Campos. Once all the registrations were approved, it was necessary to “update the data in the Direct Social Security System,” which has not yet happened.

“Frequency communication can only be done between the 1st and 5th of each month. I was only able to communicate with 40 students and I have been out of this communication for 23 years.. They already have approval, Social Security said they could attend the nursery, but now I only receive the payment at the end of October,” explains Ana Campos. She adds that in her educational institution there are “14 employees, so 20 monthly payments are needed.”

In this school, the “The normal bribe is around €500”which translates into a missing value of about 11,500 euros. “We chose ask for monthly payments to parents and When there is a payment to Social Security we will reimburse you the monthly fees, but until then we need a receipt,” says the director. The head of the BA-Baby School feels that she has fallen “into a trap.” “I asked for more places this year, I think the program is fantastic, we are members and this is a way to increase the birth rate,” but Social Security failed. “There was no planning, things are not going very well this year,” she concludes.

Preschool: Child with special needs “at home” because the Government does not define rules

At the beginning of August, the government of Luís Montenegro announced that free education would be extended to preschool level, which begins at age 3. “If there is no response in the public network or in the social and solidarity sector of the parish where the educational establishment is located, the transition to preschool education in the private sector will be considered as a subsidiary solution,” the Executive said at the time.

However, the terms under which this measure would operate have not yet been defined. In May and June, entities such as the ACPEEP met with the Ministry of Education (this cycle of studies was its responsibility) and, despite the fact that proposals were presented, nothing was done. “We do not understand what is happening, There is no information from the Ministry of Education. to date; if this will actually happen and how. The Government has to define some rules and the amount it wants to pay [por criança]“,” says association leader Susana Batista.

About a year ago, a couple knocked on the door of Colégio Pequeños Índios in the capital, looking for a place for their daughter, a girl with special educational needs (NEE). The child will be 3 years old in November and it is time to move on to preschool. But, Due to the lack of state regulations regarding the expansion of the program, “the girl is currently at home”“Parents have no way of paying for private education. They had a nanny, but with this situation, the nanny was full,” says the school’s director, Sofia Felicíssimo.

According to the head of the school, “the girl made great progress”: “She is non-verbal and, on an emotional level, she quickly developed emotional ties. The life of these parents is not easy. They both work and cannot afford a private school.” At this institution the monthly fee is €535.This amount includes 60€ for extended hours. This amount was fully covered by Creche Feliz.

According to Sofia Felicíssimo, when this child arrived at Colégio Pequeños Índios, aged 2, “he couldn’t even walk.” “The parents said that there were schools that wouldn’t accept him. It takes more work than 15.” [crianças]but I can’t discriminate against her, she’s a girl. I still have a ‘half-saved’ spot here for this girl.”If the government decides in the meantime how this expansion will work,” says the school director.

Children from Creche Feliz without a place in preschool will be able to continue in daycare

Last Thursday, ACPEEP sent a document to the Ministry headed by Fernando Alexandre with a “proposal for an immediate and free solution in Preschool Education in the Private Sector.” The association, headed by Susana Batista, says that it intends to “speed up the negotiation process and find immediate solutions” for families, and therefore makes proposals very similar to what “already occurs in the Happy Creche program,” reads the document sent to the editorial offices.

The private sector proposes that “they apply to private preschool education establishments that wish to join [ao Creche Feliz] the same conditions that were defined by the Government” for the IPSS (Private Institutions of Social Solidarity) kindergartens regarding free attendance for students.

And although “children are guaranteed the same rights in accessing and attending establishments, regardless of their legal status, in accordance with the principle of equal opportunities”, the association claims, however, that so far the Ministry of Education has remained silent.