In the KoKiTa daycare center in Kochler, a group will have to close for the first time next week.
Almost half of the employees are sick.
The situation is a challenge for the parents.
Kochel am See
- The “hedgehog group” in the Kochler day care center will remain orphaned next week from Monday 11th to Friday 15th October.
The KoKiTa management team informed the parents in writing on Wednesday.
The background is an acute shortage of personnel.
Even with emergency care for children, it is difficult.
95 children are currently attending KoKiTa. Eight of the 17 employees are sick, reports head Annegret Rommelfanger when asked by our newspaper. Four of them have been sick for a long time, four more are now absent due to a rampant wave of colds. “That's going on in our house right now,” regrets Rommelfanger.
Because the staff cover is currently so thin, the facility had to report to the district office, justification: "Child welfare and personnel welfare endangerment".
It is no longer possible to fully look after the 95 children of the other employees.
"If something happens, all hell breaks loose," says Rommelfanger, who pays the "greatest respect" to her remaining team: "They do what they can, but they are slowly running out of strength." “, Says Rommelfanger.
When the parents found out about the situation, some mothers spontaneously offered to help take care of the children.
“But that's not possible for insurance reasons,” explains the manager.
If something happened, it would not be covered by the community accident insurance.
Mayor: "I've never seen anything like it"
The municipality is responsible for the institution. "The one-week closure is a drastic step and we have tried everything to avoid it," says Mayor Thomas Holz. However, it was not possible to find specialist staff as temporary help in order to ensure proper operation. “I've never seen anything like it before,” says the mayor. Holz thanks all parents who spontaneously offered their help. "We know how stressful this situation is for the parents, especially now in the time after the long corona lockdown."
Both Holz and Rommelfanger appeal to parents not to send their children sick to the day care center.
"We are already experiencing a wave of flu that normally only occurs at the end of November," reports Holz.
Rommelfanger also found that children are currently more sensitive and susceptible to illnesses: "It spreads quickly." The children would also suffer from the situation.
“They feel that they cannot be looked after very well at the moment.” Sandra Hagenfeldt from the parents' council team speaks of a “difficult situation”.
"The kindergarten management is not to be blamed," she says.
It is difficult for those parents who both work and have no on-site care.
Even emergency care becomes a challenge
Currently, three children from the "hedgehog group" are registered for emergency care next week, says Rommelfanger.
She hopes there won't be more.
“Accommodation next week will be a challenge.” The KoKiTa manager hopes that some of the sick employees will recover next week, so that the “hedgehog group” can start again from October 18th.
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