In this essay, the compensatory mission of the Swedish school-age educare is discussed, focusing specifically on school-age educare centers in areas with socio-economic challenges. This is made in the light of narratives of principals and school-age educare staff and in relation to the Official Reports of the Swedish Government (SOU 2020:34; SOU 2022:61), which proposes a free of charge school-age educare for all children aged 6–9 years. Both the official reports and the narratives contain several examples of how school-age educare centers can be valuable in a variety of ways for the children growing up in areas with socio-economic challenges. On the one hand, the potential of a traditional school-age educare pedagogy, where children can develop the fundamental democratic values on which the Swedish society is based, is described. On the other hand, it becomes clear that free school-age educare for all children also could lead to negative consequences. If resources aren’t provided, in form of better premises and more staff, the centers can only in the best-case scenario provide child minding. Overall, a picture of the school-age educare centers’ potential emerges, but also what kind of resources that might be required for this potential to be realized. In conclusion, the essay reflects upon how the compensatory mission can be understood in a time where children’s free time is described as more and more problematic.