From August 2026, parents have a legal right to childcare for their children of primary school age for eight hours from Monday to Friday, including school lessons. This is what the All-Day Funding Act (GaFöG) passed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat in autumn 2021 provides for. The CSU parliamentary group in the Brunnthal municipal council therefore requested that the concept of all-day care for primary school children in the municipality be further developed, which met with the unanimous approval of the committee.
The community recently invited to a round table to find out as precisely as possible the actual need for places and thus also for supervisors. Heads and representatives of the parents’ council of the local elementary school, lunchtime care, large day care, kindergarten and crèches exchanged experiences and looked at the complex of open and compulsory all-day schools. The municipal administration explained the general conditions for all-day school, after-school care and lunchtime care, although the latter does not necessarily require pedagogically trained staff.
The well-being of the children and good supervision were important for all participants. Parents tend to prefer a flexible concept instead of fixed booking times in order to be able to go swimming spontaneously in summer, for example. One problem is the lack of skilled workers. “It is questionable to what extent the requirements can be met in the future with trained laypeople, such as parents, in the lunchtime care,” said Mayor Stefan Kern (CSU). Lunchtime care under professional supervision seems to be the most promising alternative in addition to the expansion of the after-school care center. A survey of the needs and wishes of current and potential future users of the childcare facilities is now intended to provide further insights. The municipal council is expected to receive an interim report in June. The GaFöG provides for a gradual introduction of the all-day entitlement. Provided their parents want it, first graders should be able to be cared for all day, then gradually by 2029 second, third and fourth graders.