- The incidence of ill children at the facility surpasses the typical occurrence rate.
Based on recent studies, Kita workers take sick days and are absent from work more frequently than most other professionals. In 2023, childcare workers missed work due to illness for an average of around 29 days, contrasting with around 20 days for all other professions, as reported by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Professional Forum.
Furthermore, the number of sick days taken by kindergarten teachers has increased by approximately 26% between 2021 and 2023, primarily due to psychological stress.
The foundation, which also advises the Professional Forum, relies mainly on data from the DAK health insurance company, which covers around 12.2% of childcare workers. Similar trends are also observed in data from other health insurance companies.
Childcare: Expert Warns of a Self-Perpetuating Cycle
"Many kindergartens are trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle: The rising number of sick staff leads to more specialists falling ill, further increasing the workload for the remaining staff," says Anette Stein, Kita expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation. "High-quality early childhood education, care, and education are no longer a reality in many places."
According to the foundation's data from the Techniker health insurance company, respiratory infections and mental health issues were the most common reasons for sick leave. To compensate for absences due to illness, vacation, and training, the foundation estimates that approximately 97,000 full-time specialists are required. The annual cost: around 5.8 billion euros, which could temporarily improve the staffing situation, according to the foundation's calculations.
Funding for Substitute Staff Not Consistently Regulated in All Places
The Professional Forum characterizes the staffing situation in kindergartens across the country as drastic. There's a shortage of qualified candidates and appropriate funding for substitute staff in many places. The high absenteeism must be covered by the teams, specialists can no longer attend training, and they are psychologically more stressed or even leave the profession altogether.
Consequently, the forum calls for a legally binding and nationally standardized funding for qualified substitute staff for all absences. However, many federal states currently lack a reliable regulation for this.
The high absenteeism among childcare workers, including kindergarten teachers, is largely attributed to psychological stress, leading to an increase of 26% in sick days between 2021 and 2023. Addressing this issue, the Professional Forum advocates for a nationally standardized funding for qualified substitute staff to be consistently regulated in all locations, as the current absence of such regulation exacerbates the staffing shortages and mental health challenges in the sector.
