It came as a shock to the parents of the children at the Schäferwiese kindergarten in Obermenzing. A good week ago, the Kreisjugendring (KJR) announced by e-mail: Due to the precarious personnel situation, the institution saw “no other way out than to close the facility on March 1st”. The parents had known that the kindergarten had had difficulties finding new carers for a long time. For this reason, the booking times for the 29 children in the facility had already been reduced in December. However, no one expected it to close.
“With a notice period of just five weeks, parents were deprived of the basis to be able to do their work,” says Sonja Lang, whose daughter attends the facility. “The safe haven of the kindergarten was withdrawn from the children with the stroke of a pen.” The effects on boys and girls are already serious, reports parent council chair Barbara Lipic: “Many suffer from insomnia or loss of appetite. Some preschool children want a diaper again or demand a pacifier.”
The KJR has offered to place the children and the remaining educator in other kindergartens under its sponsorship. However, the closest one is in Milbertshofen, 50 minutes by public transport from the Schäferwiese. “That’s not feasible with a group of children,” says Sonja Lang.
In order to avert the impending closure, the parents’ association has considered possible solutions. “The children could only come to the facility two days a week instead of five,” says Barbara Lipic. This would reduce the number of children to be cared for. The parents are also willing to provide parental services.
Parent services are only allowed in emergencies, explains Gecko Wagner from the KJR, for example if a caregiver has an accident on the way to work: “But they must not be planned as a permanent solution.” In addition, the employment key must also be fulfilled when parents are employed in order to receive funding under the Bavarian Child Education and Care Act (BayKiBiG). “Without these funds, we are not able to carry the operation.”
At the moment there is a manager in the kindergarten, two pedagogical specialists and a freelance worker who helps out two days a week. However, one specialist and the freelancer will be leaving the facility shortly. One of the so-called jumpers that the KJR uses on a daily basis in the facility will soon be retiring.
The education department is currently examining the possibility of a shuttle service
The second suggestion made by the parents cannot be implemented either, says Wagner: “A minimum booking time of 20 hours per child is a nationwide regulation through the BayKiBiG.” It is therefore not possible to significantly reduce the care times.
The spokesman emphasizes that the KJR very much regrets the decision. “It’s not like we’re saying we don’t care.” For this reason, the offer was also made to accommodate the children in other facilities of the KJR. Children who are friends should be able to stay together. To make it easier for families to cope with the distance, the Department for Education and Sport is currently examining the possibility of a shuttle service, explains RBS spokesman Andreas Haas.
One thing is clear: the KJR does not want to give up the location. The kindergarten should reopen as soon as possible. “But that’s only possible if we find new staff,” says Wagner. The parents are now asked to make a list of how many children need care on which days so that the KJR knows how many additional pedagogical staff need to be hired.
Whether this staff will be found is questionable. In Munich alone, the 450 day-care centers run by municipal sponsors lack 351 pedagogical specialists, the RBS reports. There are also vacancies with private and independent organizations.