- Research Finds Elevated Illness Rate Among Childcare Workers in Hesse
Workers in daycare facilities in Hesse often took more sick days than employees in other professions in 2023. On average, they missed work for around 30.9 days, based on research by the Bertelsmann Foundation. By comparison, the average number of sick days for all professions was roughly 21 days. At a national level, the number of sick days for this profession was 29.6 days, compared to 20.1 days overall. As a result, Hesse had a slightly higher rate than the national average.
The foundation's study predominantly relied on data from the DAK health insurance company, which covers 12.2% of employees in childcare nationwide. Additional health insurance data supporting this trend was also obtained by the foundation.
Insight: Employee Overload
Nationwide, the number of sick days taken by educators increased by 26% between 2021 and 2023, largely due to mental strain. In Hesse, approximately 20% of absences in childcare were caused by mental health issues.
"Many daycare facilities find themselves in a vicious cycle: Due to rising absenteeism, more specialists are leaving, leading to an even heavier workload for remaining employees," explained Anette Stein, an early childhood education expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation. "High-quality early childhood education, care, and education are becoming increasingly challenging in many places." The foundation advocated for legally binding funding for well-qualified staff to cover all absences.
In Hessen, the high rate of sick days among daycare workers could potentially be attributed to the high prevalence of mental health issues, accounting for about 20% of absences. Interestingly, this trend of increased sick days in the education sector is also noticeable nationwide, with educators taking 26% more days off in 2023 compared to 2021.
