Potsdam: Kitas remain in municipal hands despite falling births

Potsdam: Kitas remain in municipal hands despite falling births

Potsdam, Deutschland - The situation of the daycare centers in Potsdam is a challenge in view of falling births that requires both planning and foresight. Current reports show that a considerable part of the daycare places remains unused. According to Tagesspiegel are currently around 1,500 of the total of 11.400 Kita places in the Brandburg state capital free. This is almost a quarter!

The numbers are alarming: In September, 3,011 places in the daycare centers and cribs could not be occupied, including 1,297 in cribs. A significant increase to the 2,296 free places in the previous year. The decline in births, which will decrease to an estimated 677,000 in 2024, also has an impact on the Potsdam daycare landscape. In 2016, 1,997 newborns were still counted, while in 2024 there were only 1,444. Some institutions even report an occupancy rate of less than 50 percent, which makes the situation even more complicated. Tagesspiegel emphasizes that the committee also thinks in the long term.

The decision is not only perceived as a reaction to the current situation, but also as an opportunity to arm the daycare centers for the future. And here the conversation of the empty places that have been in short supply in recent years is in particular to be retired. Moving births in the historical context that shows that there is a drastic decline in 2024.

effects and outlook

The falling births not only affect Potsdam, but are a Germany -wide phenomenon. It is forecast that the number of under three year olds decreases by around 12 percent by 2028. Differentiated concepts are required to meet the challenges. This affects the regionally different needs at daycare and school places, which must be increasingly taken into account in the future. IWD leads to the fact that the number of among three years since 2017 A significant substructure in the daycare centers will decrease until 2028.

Overall, it should be noted that Potsdam is on the right track to actively tackle the challenges of the future. The strategic decisions of the past few days could set the course for better care for the children's position in the long run. This remains to be seen.