ama
Published 30 October 2026, 20:39
ama (creche familiar)
A childminder who, under an agreement with Segurança Social, looks after a small group of young children in their own home: up to four, or more with an assistant. This is not a nanny hired informally but a recognised form of childcare: an ama's work is supervised by the social services or a nursery, and the fee is based on the family's income and works out noticeably cheaper than a full-time nanny.
Where you come across it. You are looking for someone to look after a child under three, and there is no nursery place or you cannot afford a nanny.
Few amas have free places, and they usually take children from their own area. Check the agreement and the fee yourself all the same, because “ama” is sometimes also used for an ordinary nanny with no agreement at all.