Aktywny Rodzic 2026: How to Get up to 1500 PLN in Childcare Funding in Poland

Since October 2024, parents in Poland can use the Aktywny Rodzic (Active Parent) program, which replaced the previous 400 PLN nursery subsidy. The program's most popular benefit — "aktywnie w żłobku" — covers up to 1500 PLN per month of a child's attendance fee at a nursery (żłobek), children's club, or registered day carer.

This guide explains who qualifies in 2026, how to apply, and what to watch so you don't lose the benefit — including the new fee cap that applies from April 2026.

The "aktywnie w żłobku" benefit is up to 1500 PLN per month, or up to 1900 PLN for a child with a disability certificate. The money never reaches the parent's account: ZUS (the Polish Social Insurance Institution) transfers it directly to the childcare facility to cover the attendance fee.

Important: the benefit covers only the attendance fee. Meals are not included and parents pay for them separately. The payment also cannot exceed the actual fee — if attendance costs 1200 PLN, the benefit is exactly 1200 PLN.

The benefit is available for children attending a nursery, children's club, or cared for by a registered day carer — until the end of the school year in which the child turns 3 (or 4, where preschool enrollment is impossible or impractical).

Notably, "aktywnie w żłobku" has no income threshold and parents do not need to be employed. That distinguishes it from the "aktywni rodzice w pracy" benefit, which requires both parents to work.

From April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, a cap applies to the qualifying attendance fee: 2200 PLN per month. If the facility's attendance fee exceeds that amount, the benefit is lost entirely — the parent receives no partial payment.

Only the attendance fee counts toward the cap; meals are excluded. When signing a contract with a nursery, check whether the price list clearly separates attendance from meals — the right to 1500 PLN per month can depend on it.

Applications are accepted only electronically — through the mZUS app, the PUE/eZUS portal, the Emp@tia portal, or online banking. The application can be submitted no earlier than the day care begins.

Parents have 2 months from the start of care to apply with full back-payment from day one. After that deadline, the benefit is granted from the month of application.

The program also includes "aktywni rodzice w pracy" (up to 1500 PLN monthly for a child aged 12-35 months, for working parents) and "aktywnie w domu" (500 PLN monthly for home care). Only one benefit per child can be received at a time, but families can switch between them when circumstances change.

For parents whose child attends a nursery, "aktywnie w żłobku" is usually the best choice — especially with higher fees, or when one parent doesn't work.

For facilities, Aktywny Rodzic is both an opportunity and an obligation. Inform parents about the benefit during enrollment — a 1500 PLN subsidy makes your place genuinely more affordable. And structure your price list carefully: separating attendance from meals and keeping the attendance fee within the 2200 PLN cap determines whether your families keep their benefit.

Settling with ZUS requires orderly records: current child data, attendance, and fees. KinderConnect automates that work — it generates invoices from actual attendance, itemizes fees (attendance, meals, extra activities), and gives parents a clear view of their payments in the app. You can try the platform free for 30 days.

Legal status: June 2026. Program rules may change — current information and applications are available at zus.pl and in the mZUS app.