For years, the municipality of Gräfelfing failed to increase the fees for childcare facilities. Now she is catching up with a drastic increase in fees, which is to apply from September. The bottom line is that the contributions are only realistically adjusted. So far, the fees, especially in the municipal kindergartens, have been far too cheap. For 21 euros a month, parents can currently have their child looked after for five to six hours a day.
Whenever the social administration of the community of Gräfelfing has raised the issue of fees for childcare in the community council in recent years, the local politicians have put on the go. An increase was not possible, even if there were repeated reminders. Most recently, parental contributions were increased by just ten percent in 2016. Now the pity is great. Childcare in the municipal crèches, kindergartens, after-school care and after-school care is a bad business. And that for years. Now the problem has worsened again with increased personnel costs, higher pedagogical requirements that make even more staff necessary, and the general price increase, which is particularly evident in the purchase of toys and handicraft materials.
The low contributions are also a problem because other providers – such as the church – have always oriented themselves to the municipal offer. In the meantime, they too have built up a considerable financial deficit. One institution has already thrown in the towel. The Diakonie Jugendhilfe Oberbayern gave up its sponsorship of the children’s home on Maria-Eich-Strasse in the summer. The community has taken over responsibility. “But we can’t do that for more facilities,” warned Petra Hierl-Schmitz from the social administration.
At its most recent meeting, the main committee finally decided to turn the price screw up. At the end of the month it will become clear whether the municipal council, which still has to agree, will go along with it. In the municipal kindergartens, parents are to pay around 100 euros more per month from September. So far, childcare for five to six hours a day costs 121 euros a month. From this, 100 euros of state subsidy for all parents are deducted directly, so that exactly 21 euros remain, which parents have to pay out of their own pockets. In the future, after deduction of the subsidy, it should be 124 euros. It is also becoming more expensive in the crèches, contributions increase by around 40 to almost 100 euros per month, depending on the scope of care.
The town hall administration refers to the Bavarian family allowance of 250 euros
The social administration made this price increase palatable to the municipal councils by referring to the Bavarian family allowance of 250 euros, which every family with a one- to two-year-old child is entitled to and which parents could invest in the care. In after-school care and after-school care, the parental contributions increase only slightly.
At the same time, the main committee approved a new funding guideline. Parents whose income is just above the limit for social benefits receive a subsidy towards the childcare fees. In addition, low-income families can receive a new state child allowance of 250 euros a month in addition to child benefit, said Petra Hierl-Schmitz. In two years, the fees are to be increased by a further ten percent.
Not all local councils wanted to go along with the price increase. Günter Roll (Graefelfing-Lochham Citizens’ Association) calculated that in some care categories it would be five times more expensive. “Sorry, I can’t agree.” Anette Kitzmann-Waterloo (SPD) did not find the increase justifiable “just because nothing had been done beforehand”. It is a political signal that is “difficult to sell”. She also warned that there was no relief for single parents.