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

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

In Cologne, the situation in child day care is tense. The city has reported around 300 free childcare places for children under the age of three, which will be available from August. However, these places are not evenly distributed: While there is no space available in districts like Chorweiler, there are enough offers in Nippes and the city center. This raises the question of whether day care providers can continue to operate under the circumstances. Alice Birkenfeld, board member of the Cologne Child Daycare Association, emphasizes that the daycare centers' poaching practices in particular represent a major challenge for daycare mothers and fathers. Uncertainty is spreading among parents, who constantly feel pressure to quickly move their children to daycare centers in order to secure a place. A childminder describes this as the direct pressure she experiences from the daycare centers.

The statistical data shows a worrying trend: the number of day care workers in Cologne has fallen from 905 to 808. This could lead to existential concerns for around 60 day care workers, as the decline in the birth rate in Cologne continues. Currently, a woman only gives birth to 1.17 children on average. The fact that the daycare centers are actively poaching U3 children is directly linked to the shortage of skilled workers in the facilities, where there will already be a shortage of around 700 skilled workers in 2023 alone. The pressure on educators and employees in daycare centers is growing significantly. Important activities such as reading aloud together are often canceled because entire groups have to be closed due to a lack of staff.

Precarious working environment

The problems in the Cologne daycare centers were also recorded in a survey that once again highlighted the worrying situation. This survey, carried out last year by parent councils and professionals, shows that 42 percent of educators surveyed had to work in understaffed teams for over 12 months. Many of them are considering part-time work or even earlier retirement, which could further exacerbate the situation. Karina Mester, human resources councilor, describes that solutions are often sought to make the job easier for the educators and not to endanger the care of the children.

When it comes to financial support, the daycare centers in Cologne have an advantage: they receive significantly higher subsidies for U3 children than for Ü3 children. While a daycare center receives 27,024.56 euros (2022/23) and 29,589.19 euros (2023/24) for an under-3 child, it is only 11,260.46 euros and 12,329.08 euros for over-3 children. As a result, the daycare centers have a great interest in taking in as many U3 children as possible, which only increases the pressure on the day care workers. The Cologne Child Day Care Association therefore demands that equality in financial and structural terms is urgently needed in order to improve the situation for all those affected.

Where does the path lead?

Ultimately, the city of Cologne will discuss on September 4th what improvements can be made to the current situation in child day care. The issue remains extremely important, as a secured place in the care of young children meets legal requirements and plays a crucial role for families in the city. Ralf Heinen from the SPD describes the poaching of children from day care as “not right” and thus speaks to the hearts of many who have to have a good hand in this tense situation in order to find a balance.

The challenges in day care in Cologne are complex. It remains to be hoped that ongoing discussions and possible reforms will achieve lasting improvements for families and care staff.

You can find more information here: Cologne City Gazette, WDR, Destatis.