Survey of supervisory authorities: More suspected cases of violence in daycare centers

Violence in day-care centers is a taboo subject. One shows how relevant the topic is BR-Survey of supervisory authorities in Bavaria. Trade associations see a nationwide problem due to a lack of staff and a lack of professionalism.

It’s about children who are not – or not sufficiently – supervised. To compulsion to eat, but also to humiliate or physical violence. Reports of mental and physical violence against children are increasing: by the beginning of December, Bavarian daycare supervisors counted 232 such suspected cases, around 100 more than last year. That comes from one BRsurvey among Bavarian supervisory authorities.

Violations of the supervisory obligation stand out, they have more than doubled (2021: 24, 2022: 57 cases). Reports of psychological violence (2021: 16, 2022: 32 cases) and physical violence have also increased (2021: 43 cases, 2022: 59 cases). These numbers represent only a part: because ten daycare supervisors state that they do not count the reports.

All authorities surveyed report a lack of staff and the majority see this as a risk factor for violence in day-care centers. A total of 76 daycare supervisors were asked, 59 took part in the survey.

Associations: A Germany-wide problem

Lisa Pfeiffer from the association Kita-Facharbeiter Bayern eV is not surprised that the number of suspected cases has increased. Above all, she attributes violations of the duty of supervision to a lack of staff and understaffing: “We experience it every day in practice. This is also due to the constant overloading of colleagues and more and more sick leave, which in turn results in more stress for the other staff. Then there can be more border violations.” It is a real vicious circle in many institutions.

For Claudia Theobald, Chairwoman of the Rhineland-Palatinate Kita Specialists Association, this is not a Bavarian problem, but a Germany-wide problem. The situation becomes more dramatic. There is similar feedback from all Kita specialist associations in Germany. For Theobald, the increase in cases of mental and physical violence has other causes: “It reflects the decline in professionalism: there are fewer and fewer specialists and more assistants in the daycare centers. If you are less professional, you are quickly overwhelmed.”

Registered cases just “the tip of the iceberg”

The head of the Rhineland-Palatinate association, Theobald, describes the number of suspected cases in Bavaria that is now known as the tip of the iceberg: “Many educators are not aware that all cases of harmful behavior have to be reported.” This assessment corresponds to the statements of 61 day care center employees, the reporters from BRresearch interviewed. According to their own statements, only two of the respondents had not yet experienced any mental or physical violence against children in a nursery or kindergarten. Despite this, the interviewees reported only a few cases. To the BR Corresponding mails, threat reports and memory logs are available.

Violence in day-care centers – real, but a taboo subject

Bianka Pergande is the managing director of the German League for Children. The scientist has researched the self-determination and co-determination rights of children in day-care centers and coordinated the nationwide BiKA study. The researchers examined routine situations in 89 day-care centers and filmed them openly. The results revealed different forms of everyday violence. A few examples: In almost every second daycare center, children were pushed so close to the table with chairs at lunch that they could not get up on their own.

Other children have had plates placed on their bibs to make them sit still. In every fifth eating situation, children experienced humiliation, ie children were exposed or ridiculed. In addition, there was often physical contact that went beyond the limits, including, for example, roughly grabbing the arm. This was the case five times in almost every second day care center – within ten minutes.

Child rights activist: “Increase is also a good sign”

In the survey results of BR But Pergande also sees this as a good sign. Apparently more are being reported. The rising numbers speak for an increasing sensitization and decreasing tolerance of violence against children. The scientist explains that fewer suspected cases of mental than physical violence are registered by saying that physical violence is clearer. According to Pergande, the increase in violations of the supervisory obligation could also be interpreted as a call for help.

She also attributes the survey results to the Children and Youth Strengthening Act, which came into force in June 2021. Since then, the granting of an operating license has been linked to the child’s well-being, children’s rights and complaints management. In addition, every day care center must have a concept for protection against violence. In Bavaria, however, only two daycare supervisors stated in the survey that they had received these so-called facility-related protection concepts from all facilities in their area of ​​responsibility.

The scientist Pergande sees, among other things, deficits in education and training: “Own or observed misconduct as well as violence by educational staff are major taboo topics that daycare teams do not like to talk about.” Child protection depends on the management of the facility, on the error culture in the team and on the formulated expectations and support from the provider. There is a great need for research here for the scientist.