The Legislative Assembly gave the green light to reforms of the ‘Crecer Juntos’ Law, marking a change in early childhood care modalities and redefining the deadlines for its implementation.
The approved reform allows public and private employers to choose between covering the cost of care for their employees’ young children or establishing mandatory Early Childhood Care Centers (CAPI in Spanish).
Raquel Santos, our partner and head of the Labor and Migration Department, explains that “this new modality, incorporated in article 137 of the law, provides a valuable opportunity for parents and employees. It offers them the possibility to receive an economic benefit equivalent to the average cost of services from an CAPI selected according to their educational preferences and values. It’s a significant step to grant greater flexibility to families in choosing how they want their children to receive comprehensive care during this fundamental stage.”
The modification also extends the deadlines for state entities, municipalities, and private companies to comply with the obligation to provide comprehensive early childhood care through CAPIs. According to the amendments to article 300, these deadlines are extended from 18 to 24 months, depending on the corresponding entity. Additionally, existing daycare centers are granted an additional 12-month period to process their authorization.
“The extended deadlines offer a more realistic timeframe for entities to fulfill this crucial obligation,” mentioned Raquel Santos. “It’s an opportunity to improve the quality of services offered and ensure that each child has access to quality care during this crucial stage of their development.”
Under this reform, existing CAPIs have until February 23, 2024, to obtain their authorization; the State and autonomous entities have until August 23, 2024, to provide care for their workers’ children; while the private sector and municipalities have until February 23, 2025, to comply with this provision.
-Written by Torres Legal Team.