KITA crisis in the east: Closets threaten due to falling births!

KITA crisis in the east: Closets threaten due to falling births!

Weimar, Deutschland - The situation in the daycare centers of the eastern federal states is becoming more and more precarious. Today, Federal Minister of Family Affairs Karin Prien commented on the massive daycare centers and the different conditions that prevail in western and eastern Germany. While there is a regional lack of childcare places in the west, the daycare centers are often empty in the eastern regions. It is a fair concern that there is no uniform solution for all regions because the challenges vary from city to city. Antenn Thuringia reports that in East German major cities have been discussed for about a year about threatening daycare closings, which has been discussed in drastic decline in birth.

A particularly drastic example can be found in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where termination in daycare centers was announced due to the declining number of children. In Thuringia, too, one is worried: closures were reported in Weimar to prevent substructure from the daycare system. In Saxony-Anhalt, the daycare staff is used in other areas due to the lack of child, which does not improve the situation.

demographic challenges

The causes of the problem are complex. For example, the birth rate in Thuringia has dropped by over 20 percent to only 13,000 per year since 2023. Dr. Sebastian Köllner from the Thuringian Infrastructure Ministry speaks of a demographic echo effect and does not expect an improvement for 2024. Even the city of Erfurt has to deal with very special measures. The "Pinoccio" daycare center in Erfurt-Waltersleben, for example, advertises new parents with flyers, but has currently only occupied only ten of a total of 35 places. The energy -saving measures also force you not to use the group room. ZDF today also reports that the mayor speaks of Gerstungen in daycare due to insufficient number of children.

The social changes and the historical low birth rates of the 90s have long -term effects on today's parenthood. Prof. Martin Bujard notes that economic and social uncertainties influence great children's requests. In Bad Tabarz, on the other hand, a children's and youth campus is plans to attract young families and improve the situation. This family -friendly orientation - with crib, daycare, elementary school and youth club in the immediate vicinity - could serve as a model for other communities.

what to do?

How on? Many East German daycare centers react creatively to the challenges. Actions to maintain their facilities are on the rise to increase the attractiveness for parents. But is this sufficient to counteract the impending daycare centers? Karin Prien emphasizes the importance of further training and new solutions, especially to use the existing resources in the best possible way. The location is tense and it remains to be seen which measures will actually apply to strengthen the daycare centers in East Germany and in particular to meet the needs of families.