The state government wants to set up a state parents’ council for daycare centers and child day care. This will give parents of children in daycare centers and child day care their own, institutionalized interest group. State Secretary Volker Schebesta: “Parents’ representatives pool the interests of parents and are a strong voice for families.” In addition, the regulations on child day care are now in law.
The state government plans to set up a parents’ council for child day care at the state level. This will give parents of children in daycare centers and child day care their own, institutionalized interest group. The cabinet approved the corresponding amendment to the Child Day Care Act (KiTaG) this week. The draft law will now be sent to the state parliament for discussion.
“The future state parents’ council will bring together the interests of parents and will be a very strong voice for families in our country – I am already looking forward to working with the parents’ representatives through this body,” explained Volker Schebesta, State Secretary responsible for early childhood education in the Ministry of Education. “In spring 2020, during Corona, a state parents’ council was founded as a private initiative. We want to expressly acknowledge and take up this commitment by legally anchoring the state parents’ council for child day care and supporting it financially with an office.”
According to the draft law, the State Parents’ Council for Child Daycare will advise the Ministry of Education on general issues relating to upbringing, education and care in day care facilities and child day care. To this end, it will be informed and consulted on key issues relating to upbringing, education and care in day care facilities and child day care at the level of the Ministry of Education.
The State Parents’ Council for Child Daycare will consist of nine to a maximum of 20 members. The members will serve a two-year term of office on a voluntary basis. It is planned to hold a statewide online election. An office will be set up at the Ministry of Education to support its work.
Further changes to the KiTaG to reduce bureaucracy
The draft law also provides that child day care (i.e. the work of “childminders”) will in future be regulated in a separate standard, which will make it stand out from the previous regulation. In terms of content, the requirements for the qualifications of childminders in the area of large-scale day care will be adjusted and the maximum number of children cared for at the same time in large-scale day care (i.e. groups of several childminders) will be increased from the current nine to the future ten children, and the maximum number of childcare relationships per group will be increased from the current 15 to 17.
“We are already implementing what we recently set out to do in the state government’s relief alliance to reduce bureaucracy,” stressed State Secretary Schebesta MdL. “We were very happy to take on board the suggestions and requests for relief from childminders, providers and associations. Because good framework conditions and care options in child day care are important to me.”
