The new residential center for the protection of minors in situations of abandonment, ‘Los Molinos’, being built in Salamanca under the new residential care model for children based on the system of living units, is set to open in early 2026 with a capacity for 32 minors aged between 8 and 17 years.
The Vice President of the Junta de Castilla y León and Minister of Family and Equal Opportunities, Isabel Blanco, visited the site on Thursday. The total cost of the project is almost six million euros, with 5.5 million allocated for construction and 450,000 euros for equipment.
This facility aims to meet the accommodation needs of children and young people who, for various reasons, are under the child protection system of the Junta de Castilla y León. According to a statement by the regional institution quoted by Europa Press, this residential care is a way to protect these minors under the tutelage of the regional government, providing them with comprehensive care that meets all their vital needs.
Isabel Blanco explained that this is a subsidiary measure, with the aim of having the minors stay in these spaces for the shortest time possible, as the priority is to provide them with a family, especially for those under the age of six. The new center ‘Los Molinos’ in Salamanca is organized into living units, each accommodating eight individuals, where young people are grouped based on age and personal circumstances.
These living units are designed to create environments similar to a private home, with the goal of normalizing the lives of minors in situations of abandonment, promoting their personal development, fostering their autonomy, improving their quality of life, and facilitating their social integration.
Therefore, a domestic environment that is warm and promotes social interaction is ideal for achieving these goals, as stated by the Junta. The building, funded by Next Generation-EU funds, is structured into three independent but interconnected modules.
The first module, on one floor, houses the initial reception unit with a capacity for four minors, designed for short stays. The other two volumes accommodate four home-living units, with two units per module.
Each of these units consists of four individual bedrooms – with small shared terraces every two rooms – and two doubles, with access to an outdoor area connected to the living room. One of the individual bedrooms is fully accessible and has its own bathroom.
In summary, there are four residences located within a minors’ residential center. The exterior of the building includes garden areas and a sports court accessible from each living unit. The building has an A energy rating, being fully efficient and sustainable.
This new center will have the same number of employees as the current one, with 37 staff members, 19 of whom are directly involved in care. The equipment for the facilities is currently in the process of being tendered for a total of 450,000 euros. This investment will cover all the furniture and equipment necessary for ‘Los Molinos’.
FUENTE