When Saúl Salinas paid €112 for a five-day summer camp for his seven-year-old son, he had few alternatives. The only other option, a private daycare, would have cost €80 per day, far out of reach for most families. As schools across Cantabria close for nearly two and a half months, parents like Saúl face a childcare crisis that intensifies every summer.
The problem extends beyond money. For Saúl, finding a camp that fits his work schedule is nearly impossible. “It’s hard to find a camp that opens early enough for me to drop off my son before my 7:30 a.m. shift,” he explains. His wife, a teacher, also works part of the summer. With elderly grandparents unable to help, the family relies entirely on private services.
Private Camps Fill the Gap
Public camps are more affordable, but they rarely fit the needs of working parents. Limited hours and scarce places leave many families scrambling. “Most municipal programs only cover a couple of hours, which doesn’t help when you work a full day,” says Ruth Lago, mother of three children aged 11, 8, and 4. She and her husband both work morning shifts. With grandparents no longer able to step in, the cost of private camps quickly adds up.
Ruth estimates that a week at a private camp can cost between €150 and €200 per child. With three children and two months of holidays, the expense becomes overwhelming. “I’m basically working just to pay for their care,” she admits.
Municipal holiday schemes show both the role and limits of public provision. In Villajoyosa, a programme under Spain’s Plan Corresponsables combines childcare with educational and recreational activities during school holidays, including summer and the Christmas and Easter breaks. Its reconciliation schools serve children aged 3 to 12, while coeducational camps are aimed at adolescents aged 11 to 16. The school component also includes children with special educational needs up to age 18. Activities run during specific holiday periods, rather than covering the entire summer break or replacing a full working day of care.
The Villajoyosa contract has an annual budget of €50,000, an initial term of one year and the possibility of two additional one-year extensions. The municipality awarded the service to Trokoló Ocio Educativo SLU and Filias Desarrollo Comunitario SL. Families register through the providers’ digital platform before each activity period. Maite Sánchez, the town’s councillor for Social Services and Equality, said camps for 11- to 16-year-olds offer workshops and group activities, including outdoor and aquatic pursuits. The programme is one example of local provision, not a measure of childcare coverage or costs across Spain.
Public Support Falls Short
For families who don’t qualify for public assistance, the burden is even heavier. Ruth says her family is excluded from most subsidies despite not earning “huge salaries.” She criticizes the lack of effective solutions from local authorities, noting that many parents simply cannot afford to replace school hours with private care. Leaving young children home alone is not an option when both parents work full days.
So, summer becomes a logistical and financial puzzle for thousands of Spanish households. Parents coordinate shifts with relatives and stretch their budgets to cover each week until school resumes. The situation is not unique to Cantabria. Across Spain, families face similar pressures as the cost of living rises and public childcare options remain limited. Local schemes can help, but age limits, defined activity periods and advance registration mean they may not fit every family’s working hours or cover every week of the holidays.
Some families seek out all-inclusive resorts or holiday camps, such as those highlighted in Spain’s popular family resorts in Alicante. But these are often out of reach for parents simply trying to bridge the gap between work and school holidays.
For now, the long summer break remains a source of stress rather than relaxation for many Spanish parents, who must balance work and finances while looking after their children’s well-being with little public support.
