A well-intentioned idea failed: ego parents mercilessly exploited the free kindergarten with “air bookings”.

Some parents have taken advantage of the generosity of the community when it comes to childcare hours in community day care centers.

Now that has consequences.

Putzbrunn

– After the finance committee, the Putzbrunn municipal council has now approved the reintroduction of fees for municipal day-care centers with a large majority.

Fees will therefore be due again from September 1st.

The reason is the wasteful use of booking time by parents.

Parents take advantage of free kindergarten: up to six hours did not have to be paid for

Since the Free State of Bavaria reimburses 100 euros for each child in kindergarten, parents have de facto not had to pay anything for visiting their children for up to six hours a day since 2019.

The municipality operates the Rathausstrasse and Kiefernstrasse kindergartens as public facilities.

User fees are charged for them, but deliberately so that minus the 100 euros from the Free State, the parents remain free of charge.

"Our goal at the time was to relieve all parents, especially those on low incomes," says Mayor Edwin Klostermeier (SPD).

In the recent past, however, there have been massive complaints.

On the one hand by the employees of the institutions.

“But above all it was the parents who were not given a place for their children.

They were able to describe to us in great detail the behavior of other parents,

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Kindergarten: The mayor would basically prefer a free solution

In addition, according to Klostermeier, more and more parents apparently book many hours for their children every day, but pick them up much earlier.

"We have to provide staff for this every day - which is very difficult given the situation on the market for educators." The municipality has neither the staff nor the right to check the parents' employment certificates.

"If someone comes and presents a certificate signed by his employer that he has to work so long, then that's how it is for us.

If that's not true, then that's abuse, and we're taking action against these air bookings now," said Klostermeier, who would still prefer the free solution.

Each child in a community facility is nevertheless supported by the community of Putzbrunn with a good 7000 euros a year,

With 16 votes to 4, the municipal council voted in favor of the kindergarten remaining free of charge for parents for up to four hours a day.

Starting September 1, it will cost ten euros a month for five hours or more, 30 euros for up to seven hours and 60 euros a month for up to ten hours a day.

Free kindergarten failed: meal allowance does not cover costs

Because the meal allowance does not cover costs, the price has to be increased: If a child eats once a week in the daycare center, the parents will have to pay 18 euros a month in future, for three meals a week it's 54 euros a month and for five meals in the daycare center Week 90 euros per month.

The crèches used to be free for less than six hours a day.

From September, parents will have to pay 270 euros a month for up to four hours a day, 324 euros for six hours a day and 432 euros a month for up to ten hours a day.

In the future, the costs and fees of all daycare facilities will be reviewed every two years.

BERT BROSCH

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