Germany is lacking up to 384,000 daycare places, which is exacerbating social inequality. The federal government is planning a new quality development law with nationwide standards.
Early childhood care in Germany is in a deep crisis. Current data shows a dramatic shortage of hundreds of thousands of daycare places. The federal government now wants to counteract this with a new quality development law. A draft should be available this spring.
Alarming numbers: Where are the places missing?
Table of Contents
A study by the German Economic Institute (IW) estimates the shortage of around 300,000 places for children under the age of three. Other analyses, such as those by the Bertelsmann Foundation, even estimate that there are 384,000 missing childcare places. West Germany is particularly affected.
Advertisement
In order to relieve existing teams in times of skilled labor shortages and retain valuable employees in the long term, professional communication is crucial. Find out in this free guide how you can sustainably increase satisfaction and productivity in your team with structured conversations. Get 9 tried-and-tested templates for successful employee appraisals now for free
There is a gap of around 362,400 places. In the East, the need is almost met, but the quality suffers here: a specialist has to look after significantly more children there. Only around two percent of East German daycare centers are considered ideally staffed – in the West it is at least 16.3 percent.
Vicious circle: Why are there a lack of skilled workers?
The core problem is the acute shortage of personnel. There is an estimated shortage of between 65,000 and 100,000 educators nationwide. By 2030, this gap could even grow to 230,000.
A vicious circle is driving the crisis: high stress leads to sick leave and dismissals. This makes the work even more strenuous for the remaining staff. Many trained workers are moving into better-paying jobs. At the same time, unattractive working conditions and often unpaid training deter young talent.
The shortage of daycare centers exacerbates social inequality. Studies show: Access to early childhood education depends heavily on social status and place of residence. Children from low-income families who would particularly benefit from early support are often left behind.
In affluent areas there are on average a third more daycare centers per child than in socially disadvantaged areas. This means a massive restriction for affected parents. Your chances of being gainfully employed are dwindling. The shortage undermines educational histories and economic stability.
Political failure: Why doesn’t legal entitlement help?
For over ten years, children have had a legal right to a childcare place from the age of one. In practice, however, this claim is often worthless because there are not enough places. The federal government supports the states with billions – most recently through the Kita Quality Act.
Advertisement
In order to reduce the high fluctuation and absences due to illness in social institutions, the quality of leadership plays a key role. This free report shows you how you can noticeably increase motivation and efficiency in your team through the right leadership style. Download a free e-book with a checklist for the 5 most important leadership styles
Nevertheless, the efforts are not enough. Critics criticize the lack of uniform nationwide standards. The result is a patchwork of quality and availability. The previous measures to attract skilled workers have had little effect.
New attempt: What should the planned law achieve?
The federal government wants to replace the expiring Kita Quality Act with a new Quality Development Act. A draft bill is expected in the second quarter of this year. The aim is to have uniform standards for equal living conditions across the country.
Support programs such as “language daycare centers” should also be integrated into the new law. Planned “starting opportunity daycare centers” are intended to specifically support facilities in disadvantaged locations. Whether the new framework can solve the most pressing problems depends on decisive funding and a real upgrading of the education profession. For the time being, the situation remains a nightmare for hundreds of thousands of families.
Get the knowledge advantage of the stock professionals.
Since 2005, the trading notes newsletter has been delivering reliable stock recommendations – three times a week, directly to your inbox. 100% free. 100% expert knowledge. Simply enter your email address and from today on you won’t miss any top opportunities. Register now for free
Subscribe now.
