More than 5,800 infants, children, teenagers and people with disabilities are expected to receive free access to preschool education and creative-activity services through European funding allocated by the South Aegean Region.
Under the South Aegean 2021–2027 Regional Programme, Regional Governor Giorgos Hatzimarkos has issued a call for proposals entitled “Promoting and supporting children's inclusion in preschool education and access for school-age children, adolescents and people with disabilities to creative-activity services for the 2026–2027 school year”.
The action operates in annual cycles. For the 2026–2027 cycle, covering 1 September 2026 to 31 July 2027, public expenditure amounts to €1,552,315, co-financed by the European Social Fund.
The action provides financial support to families through placement vouchers. These fund access to early-years education and care for infants and young children, and to creative activities outside school hours for children, teenagers and people with disabilities, using modern teaching practices.
The estimated number of voucher recipients for placement in care and creative-activity facilities is 4,711. The total number of children expected to benefit from admission to the facilities is 5,837.
Target groups include infants, toddlers and preschool children, alongside school-age children, teenagers and people with disabilities selected through the specified procedures and criteria.
The beneficiary of the funding call is the Hellenic Agency for Local Development and Local Government, EETAA. Its deadline for submitting proposals is 31 July 2026.
EETAA selects participants through its annual invitation for expressions of interest, under which legal representatives are asked to apply at https://www.eetaa.gr/
An application is submitted by the child's or disabled person's legal representative — a parent or a court-appointed representative. Selection follows specific criteria.
Eligible legally operating providers include infant nurseries, combined infant and preschool nurseries, preschool centres, integrated-care nurseries, Children's Creative Activity Centres and Creative Activity Centres for Children with Disabilities.
