Kita vouchers in Berlin: Parents fight for places-software problems!

Kita vouchers in Berlin: Parents fight for places-software problems!

Berlin, Deutschland - in Berlin there are currently significant problems with the exhibition of daycare vouchers. Affected parents are faced with the difficulty that no daycare space is available without a voucher. As the Tagesschau , the responsible bodies in the youth welfare office cannot currently issue new vouchers or needs notices for the after-school care center. This has a strong impact on the work of the clerks, which are severely restricted by technical problems in the IT system.

It is particularly worrying that the daycare centers cannot receive money without a voucher available and can get into an economic imbalance. Lars Békési, the chairman of the association of small and medium -sized daycare agencies (VKMK), comments that this could lead to personnel cuts in the facilities. However, parents are advised to contact the daycare centers to conclude contracts. The voucher can then be submitted, which potentially endangered until the Situation is clarified.

What is a daycare voucher?

A daycare voucher that is offered in Berlin is a voucher for free care for children in daycare centers. Children must live and be registered in Berlin in order to apply for such a voucher. Depending on the age, children can go to the daycare daily for up to 9 hours a day. For children under 1 year, 4 to 5 hours are available half a day, while children over 1 year of up to 9 hours a day can be looked after.

• 5 to 7 hours (part -time) for all children.
• 7 to 9 hours (all day) when both parents work, study or are in training.
• With only one working parent, there is also only part -time care.

parents have to prove that they need care, for example through an employment contract. The application for the daycare voucher must also be submitted 2 to 9 months before the desired start date, and the processing time is usually 6 to 8 weeks. The voucher is valid for three months after signing the daycare center and can be requested both online and by post. A personal application in the youth welfare office can also be made, with the parents received a receipt in this case that can be presented until the voucher is issued.

challenges in the daycare area

The current situation is also made more difficult by an increasing number of children with a migration background. According to Statistics Berlin-Brandenburg , the proportion of these children has increased significantly in recent years-in Berlin from 31.9% in 2014 to 38.2% in 2023. This development requires both the institutions and educational staff more intensive work with children and parents has to do the needs of families.

The districts are currently asking for patience, while working on the problem is being worked on. Unfortunately, an end to the technical difficulties is not in sight, which should further strengthen uncertainty for parents and daycare centers.