Who looks after your children or pets if you can't

Terms used

• Guarda de hecho — Guarda de hecho is informal care of a child by a relative or friend, without a court or authority order.
• Desamparo — Desamparo is the legal situation of a child left without the care they need, which lets the authorities step in.
• Tutela — Tutela is guardianship of a child taken over by the regional authority when parents cannot care for them.
• Patria potestad — Patria potestad is the parents' legal authority over their child, including medical decisions.
• DNI — The DNI is the national identity card of Spanish citizens.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number given to foreigners in Spain.

Key rules

• Written authorisation: A signed note is commonly accepted for everyday care but does not legally bind others; a notarial document is stronger.
• Medical consent: You cannot fully delegate medical decisions, so major procedures still need your consent.
• School pick-up: Your child is released only to people named on the school's form or in your signed note, who must show ID.
• Pets: Your pet's carer needs your signed authorisation plus copies of your ID, the chip and vaccination papers.

Choose your standby carer now

Pick one trusted adult in Spain, and a back-up if you can. Ask them first, then put your wishes in writing. If you are the only parent in Spain and you are suddenly hospitalised or detained, a relative or friend may be able to look after your child informally. This is called guarda de hecho. Without anyone in place, the regional child protection service (servicios de protección de menores) steps in.

What happens if no one is there

The police or the hospital usually tell social services. If your child is left unattended (desamparo), the regional authority can declare it and take over guardianship (tutela). It can arrange foster or residential care, and the public prosecutor supervises. The authority tries first to place the child with family. Your consulate is usually told and can help trace relatives and arrange contact or repatriation.

Procedures differ by region, so ask your regional social services office how it works where you live.

Give your carer a signed authorisation

A signed parental authorisation is commonly accepted for everyday care, school and travel matters. It does not legally bind third parties, though. A notarial document is stronger proof, so get one if you can.

Medical decisions are different. You keep parental authority (patria potestad) and cannot fully hand it over. Healthcare staff may accept your written note for routine treatment. Significant procedures need your consent. In an urgent case, doctors can act to protect your child's life or health without it. Each hospital decides what it accepts, so keep the original and copies with your carer.

Sort out school pick-up

Schools usually ask for the names and ID numbers (DNI or NIE) of the people allowed to collect your child. You give these on the school's own form, at enrolment or during the year. For a one-off pick-up, a signed note may be enough. Your carer must show ID at the gate.

Older primary pupils may be allowed to walk home alone with your written permission. Each school sets its own form and rules, so ask the secretaría (school office) what it needs.

Do the same for your pets

Dogs must have a microchip and be on the regional animal register, and usually the municipal census, with your details kept current. You also need civil liability insurance for your dog and a mandatory owner training course. These duties are being phased in, and the dates vary by region.

For a friend to take over in an emergency, give them:

• a written authorisation signed by you
• copies of your ID, the chip and the vaccination documents
• your vet's contact details
• notes on feeding and any medication

A formal change of ownership is registered with the regional register.

Keep it current

Review the names, phone numbers and papers each school year and before any trip. Tell your carer where the documents are. The documents list, the decision and the FAQ below cover the paperwork and common questions.

Choosing between options

Who should look after your child if you are the only parent in Spain and cannot?

• A relative or friend you choose: Best if you can name someone trusted now, give them a signed authorisation and add them to the school's collector list.

• Leave it to the child protection service: This is what happens if nobody is arranged: the regional service steps in, may take over guardianship and arranges foster or residential care.

If you can name a trusted adult in Spain, set up that person in advance with written authorisation. If not, the regional child protection service will step in and try to place your child with family first.

Documents you need

• Signed parental authorisation naming your standby carer for everyday care, school and travel matters. A notarised version gives stronger proof.

• The school's own authorised-collector form, or a signed note for one-off pickups, with the names and ID numbers (DNI or NIE) of each person who may collect your child.

• Written permission for an older primary pupil to walk home alone, if the school allows it.

• Your dog's health document (cartilla sanitaria or EU pet passport) showing rabies and other vaccinations, with the chip number.

• Written authorisation signed by you for your pet's carer, with copies of your ID, the chip and vaccination documents, the vet's contact and feeding or medication notes.

Frequently asked questions

Who takes my child if I am the only parent in Spain and I am hospitalised or detained?

A relative or friend can look after your child informally, but if nobody does, the regional child protection service steps in. If the child is left unattended, the regional authority can take over guardianship and arrange foster or residential care, and it tries to place the child with family first. Police and the hospital usually alert social services, and your consulate is usually told too.

Can a school let a friend collect my child if I am not available?

Yes, a school can let a friend collect your child, but only if you have given their name and ID number (DNI or NIE) beforehand. For a one-off pickup, the school may accept a signed note from you. The friend must show ID at the gate.

Does a signed note let a standby carer make medical decisions for my child?

No, a signed note does not let a carer make major medical decisions, because parents keep that authority and cannot fully hand it over. Hospital staff may accept it for routine treatment, but significant procedures need your consent. In an urgent case, doctors can act to protect your child's life or health without it. A notarised document gives stronger proof for everyday matters.

What does a friend need to take over my dog in an emergency?

A friend needs a written authorisation signed by you, plus copies of your ID, the chip and vaccination documents, the vet's contact and any feeding or medication notes. Keep the dog's chip registration and your details up to date.