Daycare costs in the Stormarn district: Affects 3,200 families!

Daycare costs in the Stormarn district: Affects 3,200 families!

The youth welfare committee of the Stormarn district will meet on November 3, 2025 and provide topics of conversation among families in the region. An explosive topic is on the agenda: adjusting daycare costs for siblings. Families without transfer benefits currently enjoy a 70 percent discount for the second child. But this amount could be reduced to 50 percent, which would mean an additional monthly burden of 29 to 52 euros for many affected families, depending on the care time.

Around 3,200 families would be affected by this measure. The possible annual savings for the district are around 1.67 million euros. Interestingly, Stormarn is the only district in Schleswig-Holstein that currently offers a 70 percent discount. The state's corresponding child day care law only provides for a reduction of 50 percent. This will be discussed intensively at today's meeting.

Financial implications for families

How exactly can the situation be described for the affected families? This is a noticeable challenge that poses big questions for families in the region. The proposal will be discussed further in the finance committee and subsequently also in the district council, although opinions are already diverging. While the savings potential for the district appears to be considerable, the financial burden on families must also be considered.

Another topic on the agenda is the sibling discount of 30 percent for families who have children in open all-day care. This raises additional questions: How fair is it to place the financial burden on families who are already investing heavily to ensure their children are cared for?

A look into the future

It remains to be seen what the decision of the youth welfare committee and the subsequent discussions in the finance committee and district council will be. The affected families must be prepared to cope with the possible financial changes. A comprehensive exchange between the decision-makers and the affected parents could help to find a solution that respects both the needs of the families and the financial possibilities of the district.

How will society react to this development? The negotiations have a direct impact on the families' sense of space in the Stormarn district and can permanently change the region's educational landscape. At this point we can only hope that a fair result will be achieved that will relieve the burden on the families.