The city of Starnberg has to close the kindergarten group

Created: 04/23/2022, 13:01

By: Peter Schiebel

Mothers and children in front of the Irmgard Stadler Kindergarten in Söcking (from left): Sabrina Weingärtner, Chairwoman of the Parents' Council Karina Täubert, Michelle Kümmerle, Daniela Böhm and Silvia Schif.

The situation is extremely crappy for the parents.

I can't say it any other way.

Mayor Patrick Janik © Dagmar Rutt

At the end of the Easter holidays, the city of Starnberg can no longer maintain regular operations in the Irmgard Stadler kindergarten.

The reason is massive staff shortages.

The originally planned expansion is on hold for the time being.

Söcking – Both sides agree on the assessment of this week's crisis talks.

It was extremely constructive, say both Mayor Patrick Janik and Karina Täubert, Chairwoman of the Parents' Council at the Irmgard Stadler Kindergarten.

The fact that everyone is pulling together is a glimmer of hope in the current situation.

Because the staff situation in the Irmgard-Stadler-Kindergarten has deteriorated to such an extent in the past few weeks that, according to Janik, "regular operation can no longer be guaranteed".

Of the 16 permanent positions including management, three have been vacant for some time, four other employees are ill for a long time, and another is not allowed to work due to her personal situation.

Half of the positions are vacant.

The consequences are serious for the 85 kindergarten children and their parents.

From Monday one group will be closed.

“A rolling system” was developed for four weeks, according to which one of the four groups always stayed at home on a daily basis, Janik explains in an interview with Starnberger Merkur.

The integration group is an exception to this.

"That would cause the greatest pedagogical damage there." This would be looked after until 1 p.m., the other two groups until 3 p.m.

One conceivable model is to train committed parents who then look after the children

The "emergency plan" applies until May 20, says Janik.

"During this time, we are also trying to prevent further group closures with the involvement of the parents." A conceivable model is to train committed parents who then look after the children.

In addition, the administration wanted to ask again about the care requirements of the parents.

He also wants to try to recruit suitable staff from other facilities - knowing full well that not all positions are filled elsewhere and that there have also been short-term closures in the other municipal kindergartens.

"If there was a simple solution, it wouldn't have come to this," says Janik.

In any case, the goal is to get "a reasonably orderly operation by the end of the kindergarten year" - "in close coordination" with the parents' council and kindergarten manager Henrike Kampfrath, who attests Janik "very good work".

Janik is examining what the city could do to become even more attractive as an employer

For the mayor, the causes are primarily to be found in the payment of the educational staff.

The salary does not reflect the social performance.

Added to this would be the high cost of living in the greater Munich area.

However, Janik points out that the city is bound by the collective agreement for the public sector.

Nevertheless, he is currently examining what the city can do to become even more attractive as an employer.

Among other things, he thinks of a labor market allowance.

"And I want to make sure that we always have at least three apartments from the municipal housing stock."

The main problem remains the financial resources of the municipalities.

“Although we have 500 funding programs, we are kept far too short in regular operations,” Janik criticizes the distribution of public funds at federal and state level.

He can fully understand the anger of the parents of the Irmgard Stadler kindergarten.

“The situation is extremely crappy for the parents.

I can't say it any other way."

Parents' council chairwoman Karina Täubert considers the "emergency plan" to be the right step

Parents' Council Chairwoman Karina Täubert believes the "emergency plan" is the right step, but emphatically demands "to use the four weeks effectively".

She has already heard parents willing to actively help.

"It's about liability and regulations now," she says.

In addition, she advocates non-tariff benefits.

"The job itself must be made more attractive," she emphasizes.

However, she does not believe that many parents can do without childcare times.

"80 percent of the parents work," says Täubert.

who is happy that the mayor has now made the issue a top priority.

"The situation is difficult, but it doesn't come overnight."

The development also has an impact on further planning.

In December, the city council decided to expand the Irmgard Stadler kindergarten by two groups due to the high demand for childcare places - in containers at short notice.

Patrick Janik does not want to withdraw the planning application for this, but he has put the expansion on hold for the time being.

"Rooms are not our problem at the moment."