In Spain, there is no state regulation on the provision of early childhood education and care (ECEC) at home. However, at the regional level, the Community of Madrid, the Chartered Community of Navarre and Galicia do have rules governing this type of ECEC provision. In the latter case, it only applies to rural settlements with less than 5,000 inhabitants.

Objectives and accessibility

Community of Madrid

The official regulation regarding ‘day caregivers’, for children under the age of three, is covered by Law 12/2022 on Social Services of the Community of Madrid and by Decree 21/2015, which approves the Statutory Regulation of the Procedures for Administrative Authorisation and Prior Notification for Social Action Centres and Services in the Community of Madrid, and the entry in the Register of Entities, Centres and Services.

The fundamental characteristics of home-based ECEC are as follows:

• free-choice resource for families;
• personalised attention in the caregiver's home, who provides basic care in an adapted and safe space that allows for the attention and care of children up to 6 years of age (preferably between 0 and 3 years of age);
• it facilitates the balance between family life and work life:
  • flexible hours adapted to the needs of parents, both in the morning and in the afternoon;
  • year-round coverage, except for vacation periods agreed with the family;
  • maximum of 8 hours of daily provision;
• private contracts between caregivers and families;
• the state and regional education guidelines for school-based ECEC do not apply to home-based provision.

Chartered Community of Navarre

The Chartered Order 27/2006 of the Regional Minister of Social Welfare, Sports and Youth, classifies the means for balance between work life and family life for “care services for children under 3 years of age in the homes of caregivers”.

The fundamental characteristics of home-based ECEC are as follows:

• The service is managed and coordinated by non-profit organizations, and provided through associations such as “Asociación Casas Amigas”, “Manos Amigas” and “Cuidándote”.
• The applications for this service are collected and delivered to the association that manages the service. Applications are open all year round.
• The cost of the service is regulated by each association, with whom each family signs a contract.
• It is a means of helping working parents to achieve work-life balance, offering flexible hours to families and personalised attention to children under 3 years of age, in small groups and at the home of the caregiver.
• Services are offered throughout the year.
• Each association has an educational plan that specifies the aims and objectives, methodology, schedules, human and technical resources, and evaluation models. In addition, it guides the daily work for the full development of children, taking into account their developmental stage and their affective world.
• The services provided are:
  • Early education activities, which include:
    • Workshops and games according to the child's needs, and based on the educational plan;
    • Accompanying children in their free play;
    • Evaluation of the processes and progress of the child;
    • Observance of the child's diary;
    • Informing the families, including evaluation.
  • Food and hygiene:
    • Personal hygiene and feeding of the child;
    • Cleaning and organising the premises where the service is provided.
• The state and regional education guidelines for school-based ECEC do not apply to home-based provision.

Galicia

In Galicia, Order of 27 December 2021 and Order of 14 February 2023 regulate the so-called Nest Homes. This model of care for children from 0 to 3 years of age is provided by self-employed professionals or worker cooperatives in a home or in their own, rented or leased premises. In both cases, the infrastructure that supports the nest home must be fitted out in accordance with the requirements established in the terms and conditions of the call for applications, formulated in accordance with the design parameters of educational spaces for children under three years of age. 

The fundamental characteristics of home-based ECEC are as follows:

• This model arises due to the characteristics of the town councils in the rural areas in Galicia, where, due to the low level of population, traditional models of early childhood care services are not viable.
• This service is available to children registered in the municipality in which it is located or in a neighbouring municipality where there are no childcare resources for children under three years of age.
• Nest Homes are run free of charge in the form of day care from Monday to Friday throughout the year, except on public holidays and one month out of twelve when the Nest Home will be closed for holidays. The families can take the children for a maximum of eight hours a day in a flexible timetable to be agreed with the professional who develops the project.
• The care provided also includes the cooking service, which consists of the final preparation of the food previously provided by the families and brought daily to the nest house to be consumed at the time of the dining room.

Requirements for childminders and child ratios

Community of Madrid

The requirements for staff who perform the role of ECEC homeschooler are as follows:

• To be officially trained in education according to the legal framework established in the Community of Madrid (teacher training, psychology, pedagogy, advanced technician in early childhood education, psychopedagogy, etc.), as established by Law 12/2022  on Social Services of the Community of Madrid. The minimum official qualification is Advanced Technician  in Early Childhood Education (ISCED level 5).
• To be trained in First Aid. Annual updating of this knowledge is recommended.
• To hold a valid Food Handler's Certificate.
• To be in possession of a Certificate of absence of sexual offences (to be renewed annually) in accordance with Royal Decree 1110/2015 which regulates the Central Register of Sexual Offenders.

The administration must be accredited with the requirements and quality standards relating to human resources, aimed at the adequate provision of the service, both in terms of the number of professionals, their qualifications and the training required for the job. Regarding the child–staff ratio, the maximum number of children per educator is four. The caregivers must have an Annual Educational Programme, taking into account the children's age and interests, and draw up an Individual Care Plan (PAI) where the evolution of each user is recorded. It is also a requirement to go outdoors on a daily basis.

The activity must take place in a home adapted according to the regulations and registered in the Registry of Social Action Services of the Community of Madrid. The Community of Madrid guarantees compliance with the quality levels required in the Social Services Portfolio through continuous evaluation, advanced analysis of operational data, as well as inspection and control functions that may result, where appropriate, in the application of the sanctioning regime.

Chartered Community of Navarre

In compliance with Foral Order 27/2006, the person in charge of coordinating the service must hold a degree in Teaching, early childhood education, Psychology, Pedagogy or Social Work and Sociology (ISCED level 6).

The teaching/caregiving staff must be made up of people with academic training in the care of children under the age of 3 years, or experience in caring for minors and specific training in caring for minors offered by public or private entities with proven experience in the creation and guidance of childcare companies.

The service has to be provided, except for holiday periods agreed with the families, throughout the year, so it is necessary to have staff to replace the former in case of holidays, illness or an emergency situation.

Furthermore, it is necessary to comply with a ratio of a maximum of 4 children per educator and, in exceptional and justified circumstances, of 5 children. An office and other requirements must be available in the homes, including all necessary equipment and furniture.

Galicia

In order to start up a nest home, individuals must hold, or in the case of worker cooperatives at least one member must hold, any of the qualifications or training listed below, or the following experience:

• advanced technician in early childhood education;
• degree in early childhood/primary education teaching;
• degree in pedagogy, psychology or social education;
• diploma accrediting completion of the comprehensive training course or the complementary training course for future nest home professionals provided by Xunta de Galicia;
• accredited training in areas related to childcare or accredited professional experience in this field. 

Likewise, there are a series of requirements related to the building, specifying the different resources and characteristics of the furniture that are essential for the implementation of the project. Each nest home will have a maximum of five available places; in the case of the integration of children with specific educational support needs, in no case will there be more than one child per home. For the purposes of the ratio, these places will be counted as two.