SummaryThe present research aimed to investigate, for the first time, the validity and reliability of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) in a sample of 2733 Spanish children aged 6–16 years. We also described the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of sleep disorder symptoms among young people, which had never been studied in Spain. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original six‐factor model and Cronbach's alpha for the total questionnaire was 0.82, which indicated good reliability. Moreover, all the SDSC subscales correlated positively and significantly with the total score (range = 0.41–0.70), thus showing convergent validity. Considering T‐scores >70 as pathological, we identified at least one sleep disorder in 116 participants (4.24%), including disorders of excessive somnolence (DOES; 5.82%), sleep–wake transition disorders (SWTD; 5.27%), and disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS; 5.09%) among the most common problems. Students in secondary education and those from families with a low socioeconomic status were more likely to have DIMS, disorders of arousal, and DOES. Subjects with clinically elevated levels of sleep breathing disorders were more frequently of foreign origin and from disadvantaged families. Boys and primary school students were more prone to sleep hyperhidrosis, while SWTD were overrepresented among children with a low socioeconomic status. According to our results, the Spanish version of the SDSC seems to be a good instrument for assessing sleep disturbances in school‐age children and adolescents, which is essential to prevent the significant implications of poor sleeping on the overall welfare of young people.