Child Care Allowance

In order to cover the costs necessary for child care, the state contributes to the parent or to a natural person to whose care the child was placed by means of the child care allowance. Upon meeting certain conditions even a foreigner with a temporary or permanent residence on the territory of the Slovak Republic is entitled to receive the allowance. 

Child care can be provided as follows:

• in the child’s family environment – it is provided by the parent (or in a family environment of the natural person providing child care) or
• in the environment specifically designed and adjusted for providing child care (e.g. nurseries, crèches, etc.) 

For the purpose of receiving a child care allowance, the term child refers to the following:

• a child until three years of age
• a child until six years of age suffering from a long term adverse health condition or whose care is provided by a person, to whose foster care the child was entrusted (the benefit is paid for a maximum period of three years from the date when the decision on placing the child into care entered into force).   

The entitled person:

• the parent of a child
• the person to whose care the child was entrusted as the replacement for parental care.

Conditions for arising of the entitlement:

• the parent performs a gainful activity, studies on a daily basis at the secondary school or at the university,
• the care provider provides child care on the territory of the Slovak Republic,
• the parent has a permanent or temporary residence on the territory of the Slovak Republic and
• the child has a permanent or a temporary residence on the territory of the Slovak Republic.

The entitlement arises for each child of the entitled person. 

The entitlement to the child care allowance does not arise in the following instances: 

• if the maternity benefit is provided in relation to the child,
• if the parental allowance is provided in relation to the child to one of the entitled persons or to husband (wife) of the entitled person for the duration of the whole calendar month,
• if the maternity benefit or similar benefit is provided abroad, for the duration of the whole calendar month to one of the entitled persons or to the spouse of the entitled person after expiry of the 6 weeks period following the date of birth of the next child or parental allowance or similar benefit abroad 

How to apply

The application for child care allowance is submitted in writing by the entitled person to the Office of Labour, Social Affairs according to the place of permanent or temporary residence.

The entitled person is obliged to prove in particular the following:

• facts, that have an impact on arising of the entitlement to the allowance, the amount of the allowance, the payment of the allowance, and inform the payer in writing about any changes to these facts within a period of eight days following the day when the entitled person discovered these changes,
• the costs that the entitled person paid to the child care provider by means of cash voucher, paid postal order slip or bank account statement  

Amount of benefit

The amount of the child care allowance per calendar month is provided as follows:

• in the amount of costs proved by the entitled person, up to a maximum amount of 280 EUR or
• in the amount of maximum 80 EUR, if the child care is provided by nursery school registered in System of Schools and Education Facilities of the Slovak Republic, which is established by the municipality or
• 41.10 EUR, if the child care is provided by another natural person (e.g. grandparent) and the person is not receiving a parental allowance or by a parent who performs a gainful activity and who does not provide for the child care in any other manner.