Raising the fees for day-care centers and after-school care centers: "Not arbitrary, but necessary"

Created: 05/14/2022, 18:00

By: Veronica Power

Childcare in Forstern is becoming more expensive.

Fees increase slightly.

Symbo combing suggests 20 percent increase equals 20,000 euros © Monika Skolimowska / dpa

The municipality of Forstern raises the fees for care in the children's homes and in the after-school care center.

Forstern

– The fees for childcare in Forstern are increasing.

In 2016, the municipal council decided to increase it slightly every year, even if this was not always followed.

But now we want to continue on this path.

Nevertheless, the deficit will remain high.

As reported, the loss for the children's homes and the after-school care center amounted to 953,000 euros last year.

Around 50,000 euros less than in the previous year, but still almost one million euros, "which all Forstern citizens who pay income tax shares here pay so that the children are well looked after," said Mayor Rainer Streu (AWG) in the municipal council: " That is a task for society as a whole.”

While current expenses – including most of them for staff – were still 2.25 million euros in 2021, Jochen Goldammer assumes that they will increase to 2.5 million euros next year: “There are two wage rounds, and there are increasing ones Energy costs,” explained the chamberlain.

"But the community can't do that alone," interjected Sebastian Klinger (CSU).

That's exactly why you're now facing a fee increase again, says Streu.

Childcare in Forstern: Treasury suggests increasing fees by 20 percent

As in the day-care center committee a week ago, Streu again presented the current figures from the houses - employment key, occupancy, deficits.

He also informed the municipal council about the parents' suggestions that had been received at the committee meeting.

Goldammer had proposed an increase of 20 percent, based on the consolidation concept, so that the additional burden could now be absorbed.

As reported, that was too much for the committee.

He had commissioned the administration to develop a concept with six to eight percent.

The costs in the higher booking groups, which are already more heavily burdened financially, should increase in the range of six percent, those in the lower categories by eight percent.

This resulted in a monthly fee of EUR 165 (+ EUR 12) for the lowest booking group of four to five hours in kindergarten, for nine to ten hours the fee increases by EUR 19 to EUR 337.

In the nursery, up to four hours are left at 200 euros, but in future they will be charged 256 euros (+ 19 €) for four to five hours and 516 euros (+ 29 €) for nine to ten hours.

And in after-school care, three to four hours should cost 149 euros (+ 11 €) and nine to ten hours 387 euros (+ 21 €).

In the daycare centers, you still have to deduct the 100 euros contribution subsidy from the government.

Childcare in Forstern: Most book for four to six hours

When asked by Gerhard Eicher (CSU), Streu explained that both children's homes would be full next year.

However, it is not yet possible to say in which category the majority of children will find themselves.

In principle, the very high booking times would tend to decrease, with the majority moving in the range of four to six hours.

Several councils expressed sympathy for parents who criticize the rising costs.

“But we do not live in the I, but in the We.

And this we, we are all together, the deficit is borne by the whole municipality," said Franz-Josef Obermaier (AWG).

The parents also have to understand that the general public is doing without other things in the community because the deficit can also be invested elsewhere.

The increase is "not arbitrary, but necessary if we want to maintain the quality of our facilities".

Thorsten Sharmatinat (Greens) found this argument difficult.

Families are already financially shaken.

And when the increase in trade tax was discussed in the committee, there was a clear no.

"There was no sign of a we," says Sharmatinat.

Raising childcare fees by six to eight percent: "A good compromise"

Markus Fritsch (AWG) called the proposed costs a good compromise: "Continuously moderately increasing the fees is a way that we should definitely stick to." Wilhelm Ertl (AWG) said that if you don't increase it now, it would be "unfair to the parents-to-be, for whom we will then have to raise the price considerably in two or three years' time.

Also Georg Els junior.

(AWG) pleaded for a "moderate increase, but in linear extrapolation, in order not to have to make a big jump again in a few years".

That's how Eicher saw it, who stated: "We can't get around it, and the community also has other tasks that need to be done." Josef Obermaier (CSU) pointed out that the increase was only a small step to the deficit at least mitigate something.

It will rise anyway.

Streu also said that in the end you only catch what comes in terms of personnel costs.

In fact, the annual increase is only around 20,000 euros.

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