The lack of social workers in the district of Munich is striking. The Kreisjugendring München-Land (KJR), provider of many childcare offers in the district of Munich, has currently advertised around 40 positions for social workers. In February, however, only five applications arrived, which is a “negative record,” says Stephan Schwarz, deputy head of regional youth work at the KJR. The pandemic and the high cost of living in Munich and the region are the main reasons for the shortage.
The lack of staff in the social sector has been clearly noticeable for years, but now the situation is coming to a head, as Petra Hierl-Schmitz, head of social administration in the municipality of Gräfelfing, has observed. If there is a vacancy in childcare, the only hope is that someone will apply. Graefelfingen municipal councils have just decided to transfer the childcare offered by the open all-day school at the Kurt-Huber-Gymnasium to the KJR. This presented the care concept in the most recent meeting, but always provided with the restriction “if we find any” – meant were social workers. Care can still be guaranteed, says Schwarz. At the moment, however, the students are not yet fully represented in the classes, many have to stay at home due to quarantine measures. But he fears that there will be bottlenecks once the schools are back to normal operations. The many vacancies are now faced with very few applications.
The pandemic has exacerbated the shortage
The shortage of skilled workers in the social sector is “a major issue in and around Munich,” says Franziska Fottner, recruiter at the KJR. He also meets other organizations involved in child and youth work. The pandemic has exacerbated the shortage again, the willingness to change has been reduced. Anyone who has a job as a social worker would rather stay in their secure job, says Fottner.
Added to this is the high cost of living in and around Munich, which does not exactly attract qualified personnel. Most of the around 40 advertised positions are part-time, says Schwarz. The earnings are then not enough to finance a life in and around Munich. The KJR is therefore trying to merge jobs so that full-time employment is possible. The employees are also granted the conurbation allowance. And yet the money is often not enough, especially when employees start a family. Then there is migration. “Many move to Landshut, Augsburg or even Ulm after the birth of their first or second child.”
Stephan Schwarz hopes things will calm down in the fall, when the new university graduates will enter the job market. But in the long term, the problem could get worse. Namely when the announced legal entitlement to after-school care is anchored, says Petra Hierl-Schmitz in Gräfelfingen town hall.