Can you work from home and skip childcare?

Key rules

• Childcare: Working from home rarely replaces childcare for a toddler.
• Points scale: Each region sets its own points scale, so the rules differ by region and municipality.
• Proof of work: Remote and self-employed parents count as working only if they can document the activity.
• Proximity: Points based on a workplace address may work against you if you have no fixed workplace.

Working from home rarely replaces childcare

If you have a toddler, plan on childcare even if you work from home. A young child needs constant attention, so focused work hours are hard to protect. Treat home working as a way to make drop-offs and pick-ups easier, not as a substitute for a nursery place or a carer.

How public nursery admission treats remote and self-employed parents

Public nurseries give places using a points scale (baremo) set by each region. It usually rewards:

• both parents working, or the single parent working
• family income
• siblings already in the centre
• home or work close to the nursery
• large-family or single-parent status
• disability

Working parents tend to score higher than non-working ones. Both parents working is often a priority, which matters when places are scarce.

Remote and self-employed parents are generally counted as working. You are not excluded, but only if you can document your activity.

Where you can lose points

• Proximity points. If they depend on a workplace address, you may score less when you work from home or have no fixed office.
• Standard employer certificates. The forms often assume a conventional employer. If you do not have one, you need other proof.

What proof to prepare

Employed parents normally give an employer certificate or a recent payslip, plus a vida laboral. Self-employed parents usually show their autónomo registration, their tax census registration and their latest tax payments. If you work for a company abroad, a contract or employer certificate is typically accepted, sometimes with a sworn translation. The documents list below sets this out in detail.

Start gathering these before the application window opens. The exact list is in each call for applications, so read the current one from your region or town hall's education office.

What to do

1. Find your region's current call for nursery places and read its points scale.
2. Check how it counts work location and which documents it accepts.
3. Get your proof ready early, especially if you are self-employed or work abroad.
4. Arrange private or informal childcare as a backup in case you do not get a public place.

The FAQ below answers common questions on points and proof.

Documents you need

• If you are employed: a certificate from your employer or a recent payslip.

• If you are employed: a vida laboral, your work history report from Social Security.

• If you are self-employed: a Social Security certificate showing you are registered as an autónomo (the RETA scheme).

• If you are self-employed: proof of your registration in the tax agency's census (modelo 036 or 037).

• If you are self-employed: proof of your latest tax payments.

• If you are self-employed: an activity declaration or a recent invoice, if the call accepts them.

• If you work abroad: a contract or employer certificate, with a sworn translation if the call asks for one.

Frequently asked questions

Can self-employed parents get points for working in a public nursery application?

Yes, self-employed and remote parents are generally counted as working if they can document their activity. They are not formally excluded from the points for working parents. Where places are scarce, those points can matter, so gather your proof before the call opens.

Where can remote workers lose points in nursery admission?

Remote workers can lose points where the scale rewards a workplace address, such as points for living or working near the nursery. Standard employer certificates can also be a problem if you have no office. Check how your region's call treats a home workplace.

What proof do I need if I work for a company abroad?

A contract or an employer certificate is typically accepted, sometimes with a sworn translation (a translation done by an officially recognised translator). Some applications also ask for proof of income.