Rijeka offers childcare subsidies to address kindergarten shortage

In Rijeka, 63 nursery-aged children with priority rights have been left on waiting lists for municipal kindergartens for the 2026/2027 pedagogical year. To address this shortage, the City of Rijeka is offering two primary solutions.

Parents may enroll their children in kindergartens managed by other founders or in private childcare businesses. The City has decided to co-finance childcare services for 150 children through private nannies/childcare businesses. This subsidy amounts to 260 euros per month per child.

To qualify, parents must reside in Rijeka, both parents must be employed (or a single parent must be employed), and the child must be between six months and three years of age. The subsidy allows children to remain in these private settings until they reach the age of three, at which point they can transition to a standard kindergarten group.