The number of children cared for in day-care centers has reached a new high. But the need for childcare places continues to exceed the supply, as a study by the Ministry of Family Affairs shows.
The number of children cared for in day care centers rose to a new record level in 2022. Nevertheless, many parents’ desire for a daycare place for their child is not fulfilled. This is the result of a study by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs.
The need for a childcare place differs depending on the age group of the children, and is particularly high in the groups of children under the age of three and of primary school age: 49.1 percent of the parents of children under the age of three needed a place, but the childcare rate was only around 35.5 percent. With regard to children of primary school age, 73 percent of the parents expressed a need for childcare. On the other hand, only 55 percent attended an after-school care center or all-day place.
How many parents want a place depends on the age of the children: the older the child is, the more often the parents expressed a need for childcare. 64.9 percent of the parents of one-year-old children and 80.7 percent of the parents of two-year-old children would have liked a daycare place for their child in 2022.
break: care gap in kindergartens and elementary schools
“Virtually every child from the age of three to school entry is cared for in a day-care center. Nationwide it is 92 percent,” said Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus, referring to the study – even if the need was 96.5 percent. In figures: A good 2.65 million children attended child day care last year. That was around 39,000 more children than in the previous year.
“But it is also true that there is still a gap in childcare, in daycare centers, but also in primary schools,” said the Greens politician, referring to the high demand. Overall, there is still a supply gap in all age groups.
legal right to All-day primary school place
According to the Minister for Family Affairs, the introduction of a legal entitlement to an all-day primary school place is all the more important with regard to primary school children. “That’s the next priority,” she said. In 2021, the federal and state governments had decided on a legal entitlement to all-day care in primary schools, but this is only to be gradually introduced from 2026.
The basis for the data presented in the study is a survey of around 35,000 parents of children up to ten years of age. The reference date for the survey was March 1, 2022.