Debrecen4U June 19, 2026

Municipal Childcare During Summer Holidays – 2026

This year, the Municipality of Debrecen will once again provide summer holiday childcare supervision for primary school children aged 6 to 14 who are residents of Debrecen. The programme is organised by the Family and Child Welfare Centre of Debrecen and delivered with the support of member organisations of the Debrecen Charity Board. This year’s childcare supervision will take place from 1 July to 14 August at the Debrecen János Bolyai Primary School and Basic Arts School, an institution of the Debrecen School District Centre.

Details of this year’s programme were presented during a press conference held at the venue on 18 June 2026 by Deputy Mayor Diána Széles, Aurélia Ibolya Orosz, Director of the Family and Child Welfare Centre of the City of Debrecen, Edit Bódor, President of the Debrecen Charity Board, and Zsuzsanna Varga, Headmistress of the Debrecen János Bolyai Primary School and Basic Arts School.

As Diána Széles explained, although organising summer childcare supervision is a mandatory responsibility for local authorities, the quality of the service depends on the opportunities and commitment of each municipality. This year, the Municipality of Debrecen is allocating HUF 25 million to the programme. The service significantly eases the burden on parents and families, particularly single parents and those facing financial hardship, who are unable to arrange summer care or holiday camps for their children. The Deputy Mayor regards this form of municipal support for families as a personal priority. For more than a decade, the City of Debrecen has made additional efforts to ensure that summer childcare supervision is of a high standard, meaningful, educational and enriching. Through cooperation with civil organisations, cultural institutions, donors, teachers, social professionals and volunteers, the programme is designed to provide children with the experience and value of a genuine summer camp. A unique feature of Debrecen’s programme is that it also welcomes children with special educational needs, who are supported by specialist special education professionals.

Diána Széles also noted that, apart from meals provided at the same subsidised rates applicable during the school year according to individual circumstances, the summer childcare programme is entirely free of charge. Although the original registration deadline has passed, a limited number of places remain available, and families that have not yet found a solution for their children’s summer care may still apply until 1 July.

The Deputy Mayor expressed her sincere gratitude to every employee of the Family and Child Welfare Centre of the City of Debrecen for their dedicated work over many years in supporting the programme. She also thanked the Debrecen János Bolyai Primary School and Basic Arts School for hosting this year’s programme and for its active participation in the “Move, Debrecen!” initiative.

Aurélia Ibolya Orosz highlighted that there are very few settlements in Hungary outside Debrecen that can provide childcare supervision throughout almost the entire summer holiday period, specifically for six and a half weeks. At present, 243 children have registered, of whom 175 will attend from the first day to the last, covering all 33 programme days. Across eight groups, average weekly attendance is expected to range between 160 and 180 children. Managing such numbers is a considerable task, making a well-designed programme especially important. To ensure this, staff from the Family and Child Welfare Centre held personal discussions with parents in advance to learn about family circumstances, children’s needs, social development, interests and abilities. Based on this information, a diverse programme has been developed, including visits to the zoo, the Méliusz Library and the Agora Science Experience Centre. Programme delivery involves 16 teachers, 26 social professionals, four health visitors from the Debrecen Primary Healthcare and Health Development Institute—who also provide healthcare support where necessary—10 student workers and numerous volunteers from the Debrecen Charity Board.

Regarding the additional registration period running until 1 July, the Director explained that enquiries can primarily be made during office hours by calling the direct mobile number +36 30 153 1032, while calls are also accepted via the Family and Child Welfare Centre of the City of Debrecen on +36 52 411 133. Information on the conditions for participation, including the requirement to provide employer certification, is available on the Centre’s website.

According to Edit Bódor, it is encouraging that the Debrecen Charity Board can once again fulfil a community mission that has characterised its activities for the past ten years. It is equally gratifying that an increasing number of young people are joining the initiative, recognising the importance of this service and contributing to activities for children. Last year, the Great Reformed Church of Debrecen became one of the programme venues, and organisers were pleased to discover that children were interested not only in the building itself and the craft activities on offer, but also in its spiritual heritage. Based on these experiences, even more opportunities for meaningful discussions are planned there this year. With support from Főnix Event Management Ltd. and the “For the Children of Haláp” Public Benefit Association, children will also have the opportunity to watch films at the Apollo Cinema. As virtually all participants hold a Debrecen City Card, they will be able to travel to these events free of charge. Member organisations of the Debrecen Charity Board contributing to the programme include the Debrecen Association of Large Families “Mosolyvirág” (craft and music activities), Refomix Ltd. (craft workshops), the Hungarian Reformed Charity Foundation (bouncy castle, trampoline and craft activities), the Northern Great Plain Regional Association of the Visually Impaired (awareness-raising activities), the Debrecen branch of the Hungarian Anti-Cancer League (fun quizzes, musical entertainment, handmade gifts, decorations and beauty tips), and the Hajdú-Bihar County Organisation of the Hungarian Red Cross (CPR demonstrations). Additional organisations may also join the programme.

Zsuzsanna Varga, Headmistress of the Debrecen János Bolyai Primary School and Basic Arts School, pledged that every effort would be made to ensure participating children enjoy their time both inside the spacious school building and in the large, shaded courtyard. The necessary organisational arrangements have already been coordinated with staff from the Family and Child Welfare Centre, and the school’s technical personnel will also assist in delivering the programme successfully.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu