When looking for a facility that works for you and for your child, it is recommended to consider some important factors:

• Budget: It is recommended to find out how much do you want to spend or you are able to spend. Think also about the number of hours you need to cover
• Language: If moving to Madrid from a non-Spanish speaking country, you might need a dual language facility
• Age of Children: Less choice is offered to those who are under 3 years old. Moreover, those children over 5 years old are entitled to attend public pre-school for at least half a day
• Service Provided: Some centres offer sporadic care or partial care (i.e. 3 days a week), while others provide full-time service
• Proximity to home or work

Types of childcare options in Spain

Some childcare options may be distinguished simply by their opening hours or management structures, and others by the curriculum of education that they use. Staff training can also determine the type of service available, as can the general needs of parents in your area. Different types of childcare services include:

• Full day care (ludoteca): A ludoteca ("recreation room" in English) is a children's care centre. They offer full-time or halftime facilities, with hours after schools or on weekends. Moreover, the majority of centres offer a variety of supplementary services such as a space where to celebrate kid's birthdays, summer camps or creativity workshops. The majority of these centres are for children over 3 years of age and parents do not accompany children.

Part-time services are usually around 650€ to 800€ per month; and full-time reach 1,150€.

• Childminders: They take care of children in the minder's own home. The service is usually offered for the full working day or for different periods during the day.  In Madrid, a full time Childminder will cost approx. 8.50€-10€ per hour for one child.
• Nanny: They work in the family home. They become an employee, which involves paying all relevant taxes and social contributions and at least the minimum wage.

Usually, a full time nanny works all weekdays from Monday to Friday (8am to 6pm) and any       extra hours must not be included within the weekly wage.

• Au-Pair: When hosting an au-pair, she must receive food and accommodation provided by the family. Moreover, the au pair must also receive a small allowance (weekly pocket money). Au pairs are not professional nannies and will not be considered as such. A live-in Au-Pair will cost approx. €80 - €100 per week.

Babysitting in Madrid

As any other city of the world, the cost of hosting or hiring a child-minder, nanny or Au Pair can change remarkably regarding on what part of the country you live in.

Considering some researches and experience, Madrid and Barcelona (city and suburbs) are very similar when it comes to childcare rates, with the north and the West Country regions (Extremadura, Galicia, Castilla y León, Asturias and Cantabria) coming in as the least expensive region.

Of course there are other factors that affect the child-minder hourly/monthly price, such as: qualifications, experience, what's included while working (daily meals, accommodation, public transport from and to the working place, etc.)

There are different kinds of "babysitting"

• Childminders: They take care of children in the minder's own home. The service is usually offered for the full working day or for different periods during the day.  In Madrid, a full time Childminder will cost approx. €8.50-€10 per hour for one child.
• Nanny: They work in the family home. They become an employee, which involves paying all relevant taxes and social contributions and at least the minimum wage.

Usually, a full time nanny works all weekdays from Monday to Friday (8am to 6pm) and any extra hours must not be included within the weekly wage.

• Au-Pair: When hosting an au-pair, she must receive food and accommodation provided by the family. Moreover, the au pair must also receive a small allowance (weekly pocket money).

Au pairs are not professional nannies and will not be considered as such. Although there are no set conditions to become an au pair in Madrid, female citizens of the EU country members are commonly preferred (in order to avoid visa problems). Experience with children is likely to be demanded, as well as a conversational level of Spanish.

A live-in Au-Pair will cost approx €80 - 100 per week.

To know more about "Au Pair", consult "Find a Job" section.

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