Early childhood education: Cities have pushed ahead with expansion

Cities in Germany have achieved high rates of increase in the expansion of child care. Nevertheless, more childcare places are needed to meet current and future needs. With a view to the publication of the Bertelsmann Foundation’s 2023 Country Monitoring Early Childhood Education Systems, Helmut Dedy, General Manager of the German Association of Cities, said:

“In recent years, the cities have been very committed to expanding childcare and training educational professionals. They have achieved enormous rates of increase. However, there is a significant shortage of childcare places, as is also the case in the figures from the current state monitoring Bertelsmann Foundation becomes clear.

The estimates of the number of care places required in 2030 are subject to great uncertainty. The increasing demand for care places and population development play a role here, with immigration, for example, playing a role.

What is certain, however, is that we need more places to meet demand today and in the future. With the shortage of skilled workers and the different levels of expansion in the federal states, it will be difficult to fulfill the legal rights for daycare and primary school children in all municipalities in 2030.

Demographic developments don’t make it any easier: many older employees will retire, which will further increase the shortage of skilled workers.

Cities have already done a lot to make teaching professions more attractive. Another adjustment screw is additional training capacities that the states could provide.

There is also an opportunity for career changers and other employees: for example childcare workers, administrative and household staff. Of course, the quality of education and care must be maintained.

The Bertelsmann Foundation also sets a comprehensive improvement in personnel ratios by 2030 as a target for all federal states. This is not affordable across the board. The human resources and also the current situation of the municipalities in the respective federal states are crucial for further improvements in the personnel ratio. Depending on the local situation, additional language support and specialist advice are also important for improving quality. The decision-making authority on this must remain with the federal states and municipalities.”