Social contract of 2.4 million for 144 places for protected minors

The Department of Social Policy and Equality of the Xunta de Galicia published in the Official Gazette of Galicia (DOG no. 160, of August 25, 2026) the resolution of August 12, 2026, which calls for, through a social agreement allocation procedure, the execution of residential care and comprehensive day care programs in coexistence units for children and adolescents under protection measures, with a total of 144 places. The call, with procedure code BS213Z, is co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) within the framework of the Program for social inclusion, child guarantee, and the fight against poverty.

The resolution, signed by the regional minister Fabiola García Martínez, responds to the exclusive competence of the Autonomous Community in matters of social assistance (article 27.23 of the Statute of Autonomy) and the obligation to provide immediate care to minors in situations of abandonment provided for in Organic Law 1/1996 on the legal protection of minors. The agreement is processed under Decree 229/2020, of December 17, which develops the regime of social agreements in Galicia.

A model oriented towards deinstitutionalization

The agreement aims to transform large centers—the so-called “macro-centers”—and create family-based residential care solutions in coexistence units of ten places maximum (eight recommended), which resemble a home environment and promote individualized treatment. This approach aligns with the State Strategy for Deinstitutionalization and European objectives to overcome the culture of welfare assistance.

The Xunta justifies the call based on the insufficiency of its four own directly managed centers—San Xosé de Calasanz, Complexo de Ferrol I, Santo Anxo da Garda, and A Carballeira—which total 167 places compared to a demand that remains at figures close to a thousand minors in care.

Four lots and 144 places

The agreement is distributed into four lots, with a total of 107 residential places and 37 day care places:

• Lot 1 (Oleiros): 20 residential and 10 day care.
• Lot 2 (Redondela): 32 residential and 15 day care.
• Lot 3 (Vigo): 20 residential and 10 day care.
• Lot 4 (Miño): 35 residential and 2 day care.

The agreement will be assigned to a single entity, which must apply for all the offered places, in a free public competition.

Budget and deadlines

The Department of Social Policy and Equality will finance the cost with a maximum amount of €30,087,934.67 (VAT included) for the 2026-2030 period, co-financed by the European Union with €2,400,000 from the ESF+ and the remainder with own funds. The total estimated value, including modifications and extensions, amounts to €89,535,991.55.

• The duration of the agreement extends from its formalization (planned for 1.11.2026) until 30.4.2030, with the possibility of extensions until 30.4.2034.
• Applications must be submitted electronically through the Xunta’s electronic office (https://sede.xunta.gal), within a period of one month from the publication in the DOG.
• Entities must be registered in the Single Registry of social service provider entities and prove economic and technical solvency.

This call represents a relevant step in the transformation of the child protection system in Galicia, by combining the expansion of places with a commitment to care models closer to the family and community environment, funded with European funds. For sector entities, it opens an opportunity for stable agreement until 2034, and for families and minors, more personalized care that guarantees their rights.

Source: Official Gazette of Galicia, no. 160, August 25, 2026, section III (Other provisions), p. 46488 (official reference: CVE-DOG eq1zhuy3-mow1-zvy9-za23-z0q8lnvfvym2).