The Federal States each receive around two billion euros for their kitas
The countries will also receive around two billion euros each from the federal government for their kindergartens to improve childcare offerings in the coming two years. The federal cabinet passed a corresponding resolution on Tuesday using the so-called circulation procedure, as announced by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs on Wednesday morning. The draft bill for the continuation of the so-called Kita Quality Act must now still be passed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat.
According to the ministry, the money is intended for more kindergarten positions, for example to improve the care key and extend opening hours, or to strengthen kindergarten directors. It can also be invested in areas such as catering, movement, language development, and child day care, but at least one measure to attract and retain skilled workers must be implemented. This could be an expansion of training capacities or investments in career changers or further qualification.
The situation varies among the federal states. In the west, experts at the TU Dortmund estimate a shortage of up to 90,000 skilled workers in kindergartens by 2030. In eastern German federal states, on the other hand, there could even be an oversupply of staff due to declining child numbers. According to the ministry, federal funds could be used here to retain existing staff and invest in quality improvements.
Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus described it as important that it has been possible to provide around four billion euros for kindergartens for the next two years despite tight budgets. "This is a strong signal for better kindergarten quality in Germany. Whether children grow up in Munich, Halle, or Gelsenkirchen: our goal is equal standards in early childhood education in all kindergartens."
The funding will be utilized to implement improvements in various aspects of kindergarten care, such as expanding training capacities or investing in career changers, to attract and retain skilled workers. With these improvements, the federal government aims to enhance the overall quality of kindergartens across Germany, ensuring equal standards in early childhood education, regardless of location.
