Approximately 2.8 million children in Spain—around one in three—come from families that cannot afford a summer vacation. This situation reflects Spain’s position as the EU country with the highest child poverty rate. According to Save the Children, one in three Spanish households with children faces financial barriers that prevent them from accessing summer holiday experiences, often leaving children confined indoors during the hot season.
The problem is especially severe in the Canary Islands, one of Spain’s top tourist destinations, where nearly 47% of children are unable to take a summer break. High levels of poverty combined with the rising costs of summer activities make vacations unaffordable for many families. According to Save the Children Spain’s Cost of Parenting report, holiday-related expenses can account for over 20% of a family’s annual spending on a child.
To help mitigate the impact, Save the Children is supporting 1,500 children through urban summer camps this year. These camps, held during July, include beach trips, pool visits, cultural activities, workshops, and educational support to prevent learning loss over the summer. Importantly, the camps also ensure at least one nutritious meal per day—an essential service for children who might otherwise lack access to a healthy diet during school holidays.
The camps cater to children aged 3 to 17 and are located in cities and municipalities across Spain, including Seville, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, and Melilla. This targeted initiative supports some of the most vulnerable children in the country during the summer months.
On a broader scale, Save the Children continues to work with governments and partners to address extreme child poverty globally. In Europe, the organization urges national governments to adopt comprehensive strategies that include child poverty reduction measures in their action plans, set ambitious national targets that go beyond the EU goal of lifting 5 million children out of poverty by 2030, and ensure sustainable funding for services that support children and families long-term.
