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Alarming declines: number of childminders in Brandenburg halved!
Brandenburg recorded a decline in childminders. Important reforms to improve child care are coming.
Alarming declines: number of childminders in Brandenburg halved!
The childcare situation in Brandenburg continues to be a cause for concern. In recent years, the number of childminders, i.e. childminders and childminders, has fallen sharply. Loud Daily Mirror the number fell from 1014 in 2019 to just 663 in 2022. Despite this alarming development, the remaining childminders still looked after 2,599 children in 2024.
One reason for this decline could be the lack of financial support for the training of day care workers. They have to finance their further training themselves, which deters many potential applicants. This concern was also recently expressed by Kristy Augustin, the CDU member of the state parliament. She described the declining number of child day care workers as a “warning signal” for the Ministry of Education and called for a comprehensive evaluation of the “Child Day Care Strengthening Act” of 2023, which provides for several improvements in child day care.
Investing in childcare
However, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. On April 25, 2023, the Cabinet passed two important draft laws to improve child day care, including the “Law to Strengthen Child Day Care”. This was done by Brandenburg's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport announced and envisages investments of around 130 million euros for 2024. The aim is to improve the quality and participation in child and youth welfare.
These reforms not only include strengthening child day care, but also measures to provide financial relief for families. From August 2024, children from the age of three until they start school will be able to attend kindergarten free of charge. In addition, staffing in daycare centers will be improved, with the aim of optimizing the childcare ratio to 1:4 by 2025.
Quality and future of childcare
However, the challenges remain significant. In view of the legal right to a kindergarten place, a comprehensive recording of the care options is urgently needed. The Destatis statistics shows that data on daycare centers, approved places and children looked after are necessary to plan and ensure needs-based expansion.
Overall, the developments in childcare in Brandenburg show how important continuous efforts and investments are. The will to improve is there, but what is crucial is that these measures actually bear fruit in practice in order to significantly improve the care situation for our youngest children.