In an interview with WDR 5 Morgenecho, NRW Family Minister Josefine Paul (Greens) referred in this context to the KiBiz flat rate, which will increase by almost 10 percent for the new daycare year. “That means that Budget 24 will bring an additional 550 million euros into the system,” says Paul. “This is a clear sign, even in times of financially strained budget situations in the country, that we are making this a priority.” However, this 550 million also includes the 100 million in bridging aid.
Providers require studies to become an educator
Apart from the money, according to Ulrike Kilp, more needs to be done to make the teaching profession more attractive – by the state and daycare providers. One way to achieve this is to make a university or technical college degree the basic requirement for working as an educator. “We carriers have been demanding this for a very long time,” says Kilp.
Family Minister Paul, on the other hand, would like to stick to the current system: “We need good, basic-trained educators. We need those who come into the system through practice-integrated training, so-called Pia training. We need those who also have a degree System come.”
According to Paul, due to the existing staff shortage, career changers will also play a larger role in the future. “Because we need more staff in the daycare centers, on the one hand to relieve the existing staff and at the same time to get more people into the system.”
Daycare centers in emergency operation: Supervise instead of supporting
Until then, many facilities will continue to operate in emergency mode. Like the Wiedenhof daycare center in Solingen. The children are now playing in the facility’s garden. They are supervised by four educators who can’t do much more than make sure nothing happens to the children.
“Normally it would be nice if you could split up into groups and offer the children something,” says daycare director Antje Lücker. But that is not possible given the current staff shortage. The teachers were just playing fire brigade.
“I think our children deserve to have a decent future.” Antje Lücker, head of Kita Wiedenhof, Solingen
We reported on this topic on November 13th, 2023 on WDR radio on WDR 5 Morgenecho.
2023-11-13 16:02:15
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