The Association of Nurseries and Small Private Education Establishments (ACPEEP) warned, at the beginning of the school year, that there are hundreds of free places available in private nurseries, but families cannot access this information. The problem is related to failures in the new Social Security application that manages the Happy Nursery program - Network of Free Nurseries.
According to the association, most of the hundreds of available places are concentrated in Lisbon and Porto. However, due to technical problems with the digital platform, many families are unable to view and access these free places.
As an alternative, some families end up looking for spaces that are not always legalized, which represents a risk for the quality of care and safety of children. The ACPEEP warns that the situation creates difficulties for families who wish to secure a free place for their children through the official program.
