Lack of skilled workers. - Specialists view the findings of the daycare study as a "cautionary indication."
It's crucial to prioritize efforts towards ensuring proficiency in early childhood education. This is a joint call from the Chamber of Commerce and unions Verdi and GEW Saarland in a recent press release. Their insistence stems from the outcomes of the recent study "Is Part-Time in Kindergarten?" conducted by the Hans-Böckler Foundation.
Early childhood education and care have seen a massive influx of employees in recent times. The rise in numbers was three times more than the overall German economy. Yet, there's still a lack of specialized personnel in Saarland. By 2025, around 1,600 teachers and minders will be unavailable for kindergartens, with this figure expected to continue growing. Additionally, from 2026, there'll be a legal requirement for full-time funding for kindergarten children. This means there's a severe shortage of training. Furthermore, many kindergarten staff work part-time.
Now more than ever, we need to address the staffing shortage. Thomas Otto, Managing Director of the Chamber of Commerce, stresses the need to alleviate the pressures on specialists. "Also, we must secure and guarantee the financial resources of the Kindergarten Quality Development Act since they're set to run out in 2025."
Max Hewer, GEW Saarland's Chairman, called the TeKit study's results "shocking." He further explained, "Rather than seeing staff in kindergartens increase their working hours, we find that almost half of them want to work less - also because of the high stress levels." Immediate action is required to enhance working conditions to prevent further reduction in work hours.
According to Andreas Thiel, Verdi Saar-Trier's Secretary, the study serves as a "clear warning sign." Although the rise in part-time employment contributes to the specialist shortage, eliminating the possibility of reducing working hours in this sector would be disastrous. The primary reason why staff wants to lessen their hours is due to the enormous physical and psychological strain. To address the expert shortage permanently, the profession must appear more enticing. This can be achieved by increasing relief through fixed preparation and follow-up times, fixed timings for practical instruction, and expanding remunerated childminder training.
