As of: March 26, 2024, 1:58 p.m
By: Peter Reinbold
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We were lucky: these children got a place in a daycare center.
© Bernd Thissen/dpa
There are already far too few educators today, and the demand in daycare centers will increase significantly.
Reduced opening hours have long been the order of the day due to a lack of staff.
Improvement is not in sight.
A suggestion from Murnau Green Party councilor Veronika Jones-Gilch could provide some relief.
Murnau
- Too few staff, too little money, problems everywhere she looks: For years, Veronika Jones-Gilch has never tired of pointing out what is going wrong when it comes to child care - in the state of Germany and especially in the Murnau market.
When most of her colleagues were already preparing for the non-public part of the local council meeting last Thursday, the co-leader of the Alliance 90/The Greens felt compelled to address a problem that concerned parents had brought to her under the heading “Inquiries”. had.
“The kindergarten situation is more dramatic than ever,” said Jones-Gilch.
“The problems are becoming more and more massive.”
The available childcare places are not keeping up with demand.
A kindergarten manager spoke to her and pointed out the growing discrepancy, which is probably massive in all facilities.
“There are many indications that many four to five-year-old children cannot be admitted,” said Jones-Gilch.
If this happens, she fears, there is a risk that many children will not have enjoyed the benefits of kindergarten before they start school.
She becomes frustrated that she is no longer “as passionate” because she always provides clues like a prayer, but nothing changes.
The town hall administration knows the difficulties that it is addressing.
Nina Herweck-Bockhorni, deputy manager, announced that it is planned to present the current situation and figures at the April meeting of the local council.
Too few educators, too few places
Jones-Gilch fears that the full extent will then become clear.
Murnau – like most municipalities in the Federal Republic – has too few educators and therefore too few places.
“In recent years, groups have broken down and no new ones have been added.” She explicitly mentions the St. Nikolaus daycare center.
Not long ago, the groups there had to be reduced from five to just two because a large number of staff were leaving.
Whether the Diocese of Augsburg, which manages the daycare center through the St. Simpert Foundation, will be able to acquire staff for eight groups by the summer of 2025, which will be set up in the children's home, which is currently being built for ten million euros, Jones-Gilch has great doubts about this.
She has often advocated that the parish should look for another operator because its trust in the diocese has dwindled over the past few years.
“You should approach the matter completely without taboos,” she says.
“We need a reliable partner.” Cutting the connection – probably difficult.
After all, the community is building on property that belongs to the church.
This should cement the relationship.
The situation in the field of childcare could become even more serious from 2026 onwards, because from this point onwards there will be a massive expansion of all-day care for primary school children.
“This can only be solved with more staff,” says Jones-Gilch.
The Murnau market has already taken measures and is offering training positions for educators, but it will still take years for these to take effect.
Every good idea is very welcome.
There is no shortage of them at Jones-Gilch.
A game changer, a point that could radically support the cause of childcare: Jones-Gilch wants to try to get companies and businesses on board when creating places.
This would kill two birds with one stone: When looking for workers, companies could advertise that they are able to offer childcare for the children of new employees, or enable parents to return to the company more quickly from parental leave.
Bundeswehr buys places
A concept that already partially exists.
“The Bundeswehr has bought places from us,” said Mayor Rolf Beuting (ÖDP/Citizens' Forum) at the meeting of the main administrative committee, where the application from Alliance 90/The Greens was discussed.
Jones-Gilch explicitly pointed out that it was only about creating new places; the companies had to bear the costs.
Dr.
Michael Rapp (CSU) fears that girls or boys who live in the region but whose parents work for a Murnau company will take a place away from a Murnau child.
The local politicians gave the administration the task of determining whether local companies are already willing to participate.
The economic development agency cannot take on this task.
According to Beuting, it no longer has any capacity.
“We need new ideas,” explains Jones-Gilch.
In principle, the federal and state governments need to work more closely together to solve the problems, she says.
If Bavaria doesn't come to terms with it, "then we as a municipality need a reaction."
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There is a lack of 70,000 daycare places in Bavaria