Family - Desire and reality for daycare times in Saarland
Between the wishes of parents and the childcare offerings in Kindergartens (Kitas), there is a large gap. The Federal Institute for Population Research has calculated: In Saarland, 37% of all families with children under three years old have an additional childcare need of at least five weekly hours. For families with children over three years old, even 45.5% in Saarland desire longer childcare.
The demand and supply are further apart in Saarland than on average in Germany. Nationwide, 29% of all families with children under three years old have an additional childcare need of at least five weekly hours. For families with children over three years old, 37% desire longer childcare.
Missing match not good for labor market shortage
This missing match, according to the study authors, has social consequences: for children, for parents, and ultimately for the labor market. They therefore recommend orienting opening hours more strongly towards the needs of families - especially due to the labor market shortage in Germany.
"Many parents cannot find an educational and childcare place for their child that meets their desired requirements under the current conditions," summarizes Katharina Spieß, Director of the Institute and co-author of the study. Childcare gaps should be closed - for example during lunchtime or at long closing times of institutions in the summer.
The study also reveals significant differences regionally between actual, desired, and contractually agreed childcare times. It requires nationwide standards, Spieß says.
- In Wiesbaden, similar to Saarland, parents are facing a significant gap between their family's childcare needs and the offerings in Kindergartens (Kitas).
- The Federal Institute for Population Research has identified that 32% of families with children under three years old in Wiesbaden have an additional childcare need of at least five weekly hours.
- For families with children over three years old in Wiesbaden, this need for longer childcare increases to 40%, highlighting the consequences of the skills shortage in the country as parents struggle to balance work and family life.
- Spieß points out that these regional differences in childcare needs and availability call for nationwide standards to address the growing skills shortage and ensure a more balanced workforce.
- The social affairs ministry in Germany should consider incentivizing Kindergartens to extend their hours or open during lunchtime and long summer closures to help alleviate the childcare gaps for families across the country, addressing the labor market shortage.
