Daycare centers in need: Discussion about the financial crisis with CDU MP Schick!

Daycare centers in need: Discussion about the financial crisis with CDU MP Schick!

In Cologne, the discussion about the financial viability of daycare centers is becoming increasingly louder. During a background discussion between Superintendent Oliver Günther and CDU member of the state parliament Thorsten Schick, the challenges faced by the church sponsors of a total of 106 institutions were discussed. Ten representatives of these providers, who play a crucial role in early childhood education, expressed their concerns about the economic situation of their institutions in these difficult times. Loud Lokaldirekt.de The topic was raised that the state government has increased the budget for early childhood support from 5.1 to 5.6 billion euros, which raises hopes for better financing.

The increase in child allowances could increase the proportion of providers, which currently varies between 10.3% and 7.8%. This has for the Ev. Iserlohn church district has already had a significant impact: a sponsorship share of 10.3% means annual costs of around one million euros. According to the participants, these financial framework conditions are of great importance for securing the future of the facilities.

Challenges of daycare centers

The most pressing problems include underfunding and the high level of bureaucracy that exists in daycare centers. In particular, the strict room recommendations mean that the operating license could be terminated if they are not complied with. The Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association has also reacted and increased its staff for audits, as was stated in the conversation. Up to two exams per week are now the norm, which puts additional pressure on the facilities.

The social tasks that burden daycare centers, such as migration and integration, are also increasing. The carers are faced with the challenge of preparing the children optimally for life, while the sadness about the closure of the Hemer-Brendenbruch daycare center in Ev. Iserlohn church district was discussed. Schick promised to bring the arguments presented into the upcoming discussions about the Children's Education Act (KiBiz).

The Child Education Act as the key

The KiBiz, which regulates the financing and framework conditions for child day care in North Rhine-Westphalia, plays a central role. It was amended on November 29, 2019 and came into force on August 1, 2020. The reform aims to improve the quality of early childhood education and relieve the financial burden on parents, for example through a contribution-free year for the last two years before starting school. From the 2020/2021 kindergarten year onwards, the state, federal and local authorities should invest almost one billion euros annually in the quality of child day care mkjfgfi.nrw reported.

Financial support for the daycare centers is promoted through an expanded concept that includes grants for specialist advice and the promotion of training and qualifications. Despite these positive developments, the big question remains whether the quality of the facilities can actually be increased through financial relief.

Loud bpb.de The legal environment for daycare centers in Germany is complex and remains a controversial topic. The distribution of tasks between kindergarten and school is not very clear, and there are different opinions about the preparatory tasks of daycare centers. Overall, child day care is not only an educational institution, but also an important support facility for families in Germany.