Barcelona City Council has launched a free phone call service for children and teenagers in municipal facilities across the city. Announced on 24 May 2026, the measure is meant to help young people who do not have their own mobile phone contact family or guardians when needed.
Second Deputy Mayor Maria Eugènia Gay said the service reflects the council’s commitment to public policies that support families. She said it also strengthens educational and community settings and promotes healthy screen use. The council says the new resource will help children and teenagers contact adult references in emergencies.
The service will be available in municipal facilities including civic centres, libraries, neighbourhood community centres, sports facilities, youth information centres, play centres, children’s community centres, and senior citizens’ community centres. La Fàbrica del Sol will also offer the service. For more Barcelona City Council updates, see our news coverage.
Children or teenagers who need to use the service can ask staff at these centres. Staff will provide access to a dedicated phone for the call, and the facilities will display posters to make the service known. The council says the service is intended to prevent children and teenagers from being disconnected because they lack personal resources for daily organisation, information needs, safety, or other justified personal reasons.
The council says the service is for justified and responsible calls to family or other contacts. It will monitor use to prevent misuse, including prank calls, insults, or fraudulent practices. Facility staff will stay nearby while the phone is in use, at a discreet distance, and call times will be reasonable and proportionate, with an estimated three to five minutes per call.
All municipal facility professionals will receive guidance to apply the protocol consistently across Barcelona. The council says supervision will respect the privacy of children and teenagers, and conversations will not be listened to. The initiative is part of the “Barcelona més enllà de les pantalles” campaign, which sits within the Digital Wellbeing Government Measure and includes 51 actions aimed at preventing premature screen access and encouraging healthy, free alternatives for families.
