Almost 500,000 places for all-day care still missing by 2026
In Germany, almost half a million additional all-day childcare places for primary school children will need to be created over the next three years in order to meet demand. This is according to the first report by the federal government on the expansion of all-day care, which was approved by the cabinet.
It concludes that at least 1.7 million children of primary school age currently attend all-day schools or day facilities such as after-school care centers. This corresponds to 55% of the total group.
In the 2026/2027 school year, a legal entitlement to all-day care for primary school pupils is to be introduced. The report puts the number of places to be created by then at 470,000. The All-Day Support Act obliges the government to submit a report on the expansion status every year. This has now happened for the first time.
Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus (Greens) emphasized that the government is pushing ahead with the expansion together with the federal states and local authorities. However, skilled workers are still needed. The government is trying to recruit more junior staff with qualification programs.
All-day care is an "opportunity for all schoolchildren to have a good start in life and fair participation, regardless of their parents' background or income", explained Paus. "Parents can better reconcile family and career thanks to all-day care."
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The first report on the expansion of all-day care, as revealed in the report, indicates that 470,000 additional all-day care places are required by 2026 to meet the demand. To ensure progress, the All-Day Support Act mandates an annual update on the expansion status, with this being the first such report.
Source: www.ntv.de
