Print

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

• Budget: 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 Andorra from a non-Spanish/Catalan 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
Some childcare options may be distinguished simply by their opening hours or management structures, and others by the education curriculum 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 450€ per month, while full-time can reach up to 800€.

• 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. Although it is an unusual option in Andorra, a full time Childminder will cost approx. 10€ per hour per child.
• Nanny: They work in the family home and become an employee, which involves paying all relevant taxes and social contributions to the state and, at least, the minimum monthly national wage of 1045€.

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 between €80 - €100 per week.