Jorge Barragán Ulloa, new director of the Youth and Childhood Cabinet

The Ministry of Youth and Childhood has appointed Jorge Barragán Ulloa as director of the Cabinet of the Secretary of State for Youth and Childhood, a key position of trust in the design of the Government’s childhood and youth policy. The appointment is formalized through Order JUI/906/2026, dated August 26, published in the Official State Gazette number 214, dated August 31, 2026, and will take effect as of September 1, 2026.

The decision is adopted in accordance with the provisions of article 16.2 of Law 50/1997, of November 27, on the Government, and following the notification of the Council of Ministers at its meeting on August 25, 2026. The order is signed by the Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Abed Rego, in Madrid, on August 26, 2026.

A position of trust at the top of the ministry

The director of the Secretary of State’s Cabinet is a figure of maximum political trust, responsible for coordinating the advisory team and conveying the guidelines of the Secretary of State to the entire department. This designation occurs at a time when youth and childhood policy concentrates a significant part of the Executive’s social agenda.

The position is filled by free appointment, a procedure that does not require a public competition and allows the head of the department to directly choose their trusted team. The order expressly states the effective date of the cessation and the new appointment, ensuring the continuity of the service.

Regulatory framework and procedure

The appointment is based on Law 50/1997, of November 27, on the Government, which regulates the structure and functioning of the support bodies for the Presidency and the ministerial departments. Article 16.2 empowers ministers to appoint the heads of the cabinets of the senior officials in their department.

The procedure followed includes the following steps:

• Proposal of the appointment by the competent department.
• Prior notification of the Council of Ministers at its meeting on August 25, 2026.
• Signing of the order by the Minister of Youth and Childhood on August 26, 2026.
• Publication in the BOE number 214, of August 31, 2026, section II.A, page 117434.

Relevance for youth policy

The designation of Jorge Barragán Ulloa reinforces the management team of the Secretary of State for Youth and Childhood, the body that promotes policies aimed at minors and young people in the country. The new director will assume the coordination of advisors and the monitoring of the Secretary of State’s initiatives.

With the appointment taking effect on September 1, the new head will assume their position at the start of the political term, within a context of deploying childhood support programs and promoting youth participation. The publication in the official bulletin grants full legal validity to the termination and the new designation, which is recorded in the department’s registry of senior officials.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 214, August 31, 2026, Sec. II.A, page 117434 (official reference: BOE-A-2026-18316).