Poland spends 11 billion zlotys on Active Parent childcare scheme over two years

Government marks two-year milestone

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Deputy Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Aleksandra Gajewska met with parents and infants at the Prime Minister's Chancellery on 2 October 2026. The gathering marked the two-year anniversary of the government's flagship Active Parent welfare programme, commonly referred to as "babciowe". Officially launched on 1 October 2024, the scheme aims to help parents of children under three years old balance employment with domestic childcare obligations. Government figures released during the event showed that the state has disbursed over 11 billion PLN to support 680,000 children aged 12 to 35 months during its first two years of operation. Tusk noted that caring for toddlers is one of the most demanding responsibilities families face, framing the policy as institutional recognition for grandparents and relatives who assist working parents.

I cared very much about this project. It is formally called Active Parent, not "babciowe", but indeed at the beginning, when we talked about "babciowe", it was above all not just about money, not just about new places in nurseries, but also about a dignified approach to the matter.

Three support options for families

The Active Parent initiative divides state support into three distinct monthly payment streams depending on family work arrangements. Under the "Active parents at work" pillar, returning workers receive 1,500 PLN per month when hiring a nanny, day caregiver, or employing grandparents for home care. The "Actively in nursery" component transfers up to 1,500 PLN per month directly to institutional nursery accounts to subsidize facility tuition. In cases involving a child with disabilities, both work-related tiers increase to 1,900 PLN per month. Parents who choose not to return to employment receive 500 PLN per month under the "Actively at home" track. All payments are disbursed on top of Poland's universal monthly 800 Plus benefit.

Nursery expansion and the inflation debate

According to assessments released by the Prime Minister's Chancellery, the funding helped expand early childhood infrastructure across Poland. The count of municipalities without an operating nursery, designated in government records as "white spots", fell by 50% between 2024 and 2026. Alongside local coverage gains, experts have raised concerns regarding the ongoing purchasing power of the payouts. Dr. Antoni Kolek, a co-creator of the policy, pointed out that inflation has reduced the real monthly purchasing value of the maximum benefit by nearly 100 PLN over the past two years. Kolek suggested that the government evaluate indexing the benefit tiers to prevent further loss in real value.

The most important thing is what stands behind these numbers, which you may know best, because behind this stands a sense of security. This is 680,000 benefits paid, 680,000 families and their stories, people who could return to work, people who did not have to choose between a child and work, who could involve their grandparents, feel safe and simply decide to start or expand a family.

Program evaluation and parental reception

Beneficiaries attending the Chancellery review shared practical experiences regarding how the subsidies affected their household budgets. Families such as Patrycja and Maciej from Poznan explained that the nursery co-financing enabled both partners to maintain their jobs while securing institutional placement for their toddler. Tusk concluded the anniversary session by thanking ministry personnel and participating households, remarking that the policy was designed to offer parents genuine flexibility in selecting their preferred care model.