Kitas in MV: Freedom of fees remains, but demands are increasing!

Kitas in MV: Freedom of fees remains, but demands are increasing!

Schwerin, Deutschland - The discussion about the free childcare remains a hot iron for the state government in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. According to wismar.fm , the red-red state government confirms its course to stand up to the pressure from some municipalities, to reintroduce the parental contributions. SPD parliamentary group leader Julian Barlen described the decision as a financial effort, while Mayor Lars Prahler from Grevesmühlen specifically brought a fee of 50 euros per month for daycare or after-school places.

The demands for a fee regulation are not unfounded. They aim to better cover the increasing costs for personnel and energy and to better map the childcare needs. Despite these inquiries, Barlen rely on the fact that the free daycare center is an achievement of families and ensures more equal opportunities in the education system.

daycare care in numbers

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has invested significant means in childcare institutions in recent years. In the current year, the country provides 467 million euros for childcare, which means an increase of 8% compared to 2022. Part of these means flows into the financing of the daycare contributions previously borne by parents. Minister of Education Simone Oldenburg underlines the importance of these shifts in order not only to promote equal opportunities, but also to guarantee. These investments help to create a toll -free educational landscape from the crèche until school leaving certificate, as the Nordkurier reports.

• care rate:
  • 59% of the 0 to 3 year olds
  • almost 95% of 3 to 6 year olds
• A total of 117,470 children are looked after in daycare facilities or at childminders.

However, the challenges remain. Municipalities and circles become increasing pressure due to the lack of tax revenue and increasing expenses for personnel and energy. CDU parliamentary group leader Daniel Peters calls for more support from the country, while the Greens under faction leader Constanze Oehlrich are pushing more investments in the quality of childcare and smaller groups.

The application for free care

For parents who want to benefit from the free childcare free of charge, it is important to become active in time. According to the requirements of the Familieninfo MV, applications for a needs check must generally be submitted three months before the start of care. The necessary documents include a completed application, current working time certificates from the parents and confirmation from the Federal Employment Agency or the job center.

For financial support, parents can also apply for the coverage costs to be paid to the responsible youth welfare office. It should also be noted that a separate application for freedom of contributions is not necessary, since the responsible youth welfare offices pay the monthly space costs directly to the carriers of the day care centers.

Free childcare remains a central topic in the political landscape of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The state government consistently continues this path and thus sets a sign of more equal opportunities in education.