Emergency at home

The Day Care Centre Programme is designed to support children and families facing situations of risk, social exclusion or vulnerability.

“The most common stigma is thinking that a Day Care Centre is only for ‘problematic families’ or severe cases. That’s unfair, because a Day Care Centre is actually a preventive resource,” explains Luis Huerta, director of the Cuenca Day Care Centre.

The main objective of these centres is to promote the holistic development of children and strengthen their support networks, providing essential backing for parents who need temporary assistance in their caregiving and educational roles.

In this regard, Huerta adds:
“Another stigma is believing that we are mainly a source of financial aid, that we do everything for families or replace their role. In reality, we do the opposite. Families are part of the process. We co-create their Individual Family Plan (IFP), which is tailored to each family unit. Every family system has its own needs but, above all, its own strengths, and we build on those strengths to help them move forward.”

A philosophy of early support

What philosophy guides your work with children, young people and families?

“Our philosophy can be summed up in one idea: arriving in time. We provide support when there is still room to act, when prevention is still possible, when families still have the opportunity to regain balance.

And there is something that is essential for me: we do not work by judging anyone. We accompany families over time so that, when their stay at the Day Care Centre ends, they are able to continue their development autonomously within a functional and protective home.”

“Most families do not arrive saying ‘I need help’, but rather ‘I can’t cope anymore’. That’s where the work begins.”

Addressing diverse needs

What types of needs does the centre in Cuenca usually address?

“In Cuenca we work with very diverse situations, but there is usually a common denominator: families who are doing their best but need support to sustain daily life.

Very often there are educational difficulties. In the last two years, we have supported groups of children and young people with special educational needs—such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD or physical disabilities—as well as those requiring additional educational support.

We also encounter family conflicts, emotional challenges such as low self-esteem, difficulty managing emotions, impulsivity, social isolation or relationship problems with peers.

And of course, we work with situations of social vulnerability: financial hardship, lack of support networks, family overload or crisis situations.

But the most important thing is that it is rarely just one issue. Usually several challenges appear at the same time, which can be extremely emotionally draining for families until they find a roadmap through our work together.”

Who attends the centre?

What profiles of children and families access the centre and how do they arrive?

Children and young people of different ages and backgrounds attend the centre, along with families with very different life stories. There is no single profile.

“One thing I would like to highlight is that most families do not come saying ‘I need help’—contrary to what society might think. They come saying ‘I can’t do this anymore’, ‘I don’t know what to do’, or ‘this is getting out of control’. That’s where the work begins.”

Breaking down stigma

How would you challenge the most common stigmas about day care centres?

“With a clear message: a Day Care Centre is not a place where children are ‘parked’ or where families are ‘rescued’. It is a place where people are supported, trained and strengthened.

We try to intervene in that middle ground between the moment of difficulty families arrive with and the point they can reach with the right support. When that happens, what changes is not just a specific situation—the trajectory of an entire family changes.”

“Supporting families is not just about listening. It means helping them organise their lives, set boundaries, build routines and sustain decisions.”

Working with the community

How do you collaborate with other social and educational services in Cuenca?

“We collaborate constantly and in coordination with Social Services, schools, community resources and, when necessary, the healthcare sector.

We hold formal weekly coordination meetings, but whenever a need arises we activate an immediate response.

Coordination is essential because if each service works independently, families feel confused—and when that happens, they disconnect. Our aim is to connect the different social actors, avoiding duplication and making our intervention more effective.”

The role of community support

How important is the community to the programme’s success?

“A Day Care Centre must operate as part of an interconnected network. Children live in their neighbourhoods, in schools and in their communities. That is why community work is a fundamental part of our approach.

The community itself can be a protective factor. When support networks exist, opportunities multiply.

It reminds me of how villages used to function years ago, when neighbours were naturally part of the family system. Families helped one another with childcare, work in the fields or daily life. When someone went through a difficult moment, the community supported them.”

“Our goal is for families to feel that there is a support network holding them up while they work to improve their situation.”

A change in perspective

How has working at the centre changed your personal perspective on childhood and family?

“The Day Care Centre has confirmed something I had already suspected: behind difficult behaviour there is almost always an unmet need.

This completely changes the way we intervene. If we only focus on the symptom—tantrums, disrespect, school expulsions or refusal to cooperate—we risk staying on the surface.

But when you look more carefully, what often lies beneath is fear, insecurity, frustration, exhaustion, lack of attachment or a history of loss and hardship.

Another thing this work has reinforced for me is that investing in childhood means investing in the future—not only in the future of a particular child or family, but in the future of society as a whole.

And perhaps the most important lesson is this: childhood is not protected only through laws or speeches. It is protected through presence, relationships, resources and support networks.”

The greatest achievements

What achievements of the children and families you support make you most proud?

“If I had to choose one achievement above all others, it would be when a family moves from feeling judged to feeling capable.

When they stop living with guilt or shame and begin to see themselves with dignity again—when they recover the feeling that ‘we can handle this’.”