IMSS Secures Land for Child Care Centers in State of Mexico

The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) has formalized the donation of three plots of land in the eastern region of the State of Mexico, which will be used to build new Child Education and Care Centers. This move aims to expand public child care infrastructure in one of the country’s most populated areas.

The deeds were signed for properties donated by the municipal governments of Tlalnepantla, Nezahualcoyotl, and Chalco. Once developed, the three centers are expected to benefit more than 30,000 children, according to IMSS estimates, and support working families across the region.

Josefina Estrada, Head, IMSS Eastern State of Mexico, says the initiative reflects coordinated work among federal, state, and municipal authorities. She details that the projected demand for the new facilities has already been identified, with an estimated 8,788 children in Nezahualcoyotl, 15,975 in Tlalnepantla, and 5,692 in Chalco expected to benefit from the services.

The project forms part of the Comprehensive Plan for the eastern zone of the State of Mexico, which seeks to strengthen social infrastructure and improve access to essential services. IMSS officials say the centers are designed to provide appropriate conditions for early childhood development, while reinforcing the institution’s social mandate.

Armando Quintero, General Coordinator, National Institute for Federalism and Municipal Development, describes the signing as a milestone and said the initiative aligns with the federal government’s goal of reshaping the social and economic conditions of the region. 

Municipal leaders echoed the importance of the agreement, highlighting the role of intergovernmental cooperation in advancing the regional plan and committing their administrations to supporting the next stages of development. With the land now formally transferred, IMSS is positioned to move forward with construction as part of its broader strategy to expand child care services in the State of Mexico.

IMSS Overhauls Child Care Model

This local expansion is part of a broader institutional shift underway at IMSS, which is restructuring its child care model to support a nationwide expansion of early childhood services. The structural overhaul of its child care services is part of a federal plan to expand early childhood education and care across the country during the current six-year administration.

The reform centers on the creation of the Unit for Child Care and Attention, which replaces the former Day Care Service Coordination for Integral Child Development. The change is intended to modernize IMSS regulatory, technical, budgetary, and coordination processes while supporting the construction of 1,000 Education and Child Care Centers (CECI) between 2025 and 2030.

Mariana Tajonar, Head, Unit for Child Care and Attention, says the transformation strengthens internal IMSS processes and deepens coordination with the institute’s state-level representations. It also formalizes collaboration with federal bodies such as the Ministries of Public Education and Women, as well as the National System for Integral Family Development.

The initiative aligns with the federal government’s National Care System promoted by President Claudia Sheinbaum. Tajonar says the objective is to place early childhood development at the center of public policy while addressing the unequal burden of care work traditionally assumed by women, enabling them to pursue professional and personal projects.

Under the new model, IMSS has moved away from a system that for decades focused primarily on providing supervision for the children of working mothers. The CECI approach reframes child care as an educational and developmental service, integrating pedagogy, health promotion, nutrition, safety standards, and community engagement.