The Madrid City Council has launched a new edition of the Centros Abiertos program this Easter, providing urban camps to help families with childcare during non-school periods. From last Friday until the following Monday – April 11, 14, 15, 16, and 21 – more than 1,700 children will participate in recreational and educational activities held in public schools and Special Education centers in the city, offering a new opportunity for socializing, improving language skills, and having fun.
José Fernández, the Delegate for Social Policies, Family, and Equality, visited CEIP Santo Domingo in the Puente de Vallecas district today, one of the centers where this municipal initiative is being implemented. This program also runs during Christmas and summer vacations. «Supporting families in Madrid is a priority for the City Council, and with these camps, we provide them with childcare alternatives that benefit their daily organization on days when children don’t have school, while also promoting the personal and educational growth of students,» noted the delegate. He also mentioned that the Natality and Conciliation Promotion Plan approved in 2024 includes strengthening this service, which will be implemented this summer.
Every year, the Department of Social Policies, Family, and Equality offers more than 18,000 spots in these camps during the three school break periods. This service, complemented by other camps organized by the 21 districts, provides children with a learning and play environment that promotes values such as camaraderie, creativity, equality, and respect. In each call, spots are reserved without fees for students in emergency situations or at risk of social exclusion referred by municipal Social Services.
Centros Abiertos en Inglés
In the Centros Abiertos in English program, aimed at children aged 3 to 12 residing in the city whose parents or legal guardians work during Easter vacation, a total of 2,100 spots have been offered in 21 public schools for Early Childhood and Primary Education, with a 76% occupancy rate. Families can use this resource on weekdays from last Friday, April 11, until the following Monday, the 21st, from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, including meal service.
As in previous calls, six spots per center have been reserved for children with special educational needs, enrolled in regular Early Childhood and Primary Education schools.
Special Centros Abiertos
Special Centros Abiertos are intended for individuals with any type of disability aged 3 to 21, enrolled in specific Special Education centers. A total of 150 spots have been allocated in public schools for Special Education during school hours. The occupancy rate for this edition is 98%. This program includes the option of early morning reception service and an adapted route with predetermined stops.
Summer Call
As José Fernández announced, at the end of April and beginning of May, the application deadlines will open for summer camps, both those held in public schools in the city and those organized at the Nuestra Señora de la Paloma Vacation Center in Cercedilla during July and August. As a new feature, the Department of Social Policies, Family, and Equality will create a new type of sports camps to facilitate family childcare during the first week of September, complementing the camps offered by the districts in that specific period before the start of the school year. /
