Cologne day care under pressure: 300 free places and disposal!

Cologne day care under pressure: 300 free places and disposal!

Innenstadt, Köln, Deutschland - In Cologne, the situation in day care is tense. The city has reported around 300 free care places for children under the age of three, which are available from August. However, these places are not evenly distributed: While there is no space available in districts such as Chorweiler, there are enough offers in Nippes and the city center. This raises the question of whether the day care workers can remain under the given circumstances. Alice Birkenfeld, the director of the Cologne Day Care Association, emphasizes that the hospitals of the daycare centers in particular are a major challenge for the childminders and fathers. Uncertainty spreads among the parents, who always feel pressure to quickly switch their children to daycare centers to secure a place. A childminder describes this as a direct pressure that she learns from the daycare centers.

The statistical data show a worrying trend: The number of day care workers in Cologne has dropped from 905 to 808. This could lead to existential concerns for around 60 day care staff, as the decline in the birth rate in Cologne continues. On average, a woman currently gives birth to only 1.17 children. The fact that the daycare centers actively resonate U3 children is in direct connection with the shortage of skilled workers in the facilities, where around 700 specialists are already missing in 2023. The pressure on educators and employees in the daycare centers is growing considerably. Important activities such as reading together are often out, since complete groups have to be closed because there is a lack of staff.

precarious work environment

The problems in the Cologne daycare centers were also recorded by a survey that made the worrying situation clear. This survey, which was carried out by parents' advisory boards and specialists last year, shows that 42 percent of the educators surveyed had to work in understaffed teams for over 12 months. Many of them consider part -time work or even a previous retirement, which could further tighten the situation. Karina Mester, staff councilor, describes that solutions are often sought here in order to facilitate the job for the educators and not endanger the care of the children.

As far as financial support is concerned, the daycare centers in Cologne have an advantage: for U3 children, they receive significantly higher subsidies than for Ü3 children. While a daycare center for a U3 child receives 27,024.56 euros (2022/23) and 29,589.19 euros (2023/24), it is only 11,260.46 euros for Ü3 children and 12,329.08 euros. As a result, the daycare centers are very interested in taking as many U3 children as possible, which only increases the pressure on day care staff. The Cologne Day Care Association association therefore demands that equality in financial and structural terms are urgently necessary to improve the situation for all those affected.

where does the path lead?

Ultimately, the city of Cologne will discuss on September 4, which improvements for the current situation in day care can be done. The topic remains extremely important, since a secure place in the care of small children meets legal requirements and plays a crucial role for families in the city. Ralf Heinen from the SPD describes the reverberation of children from day care as "not in order" and thus speaks to many of the soul who have to have a good hand in this tense situation to find a balance.

The challenges in Cologne day care for children are complex. It remains to be hoped that a permanent improvement for families and childcare staff can be achieved through upcoming discussions and possible reforms.

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