The situation in Bavaria's daycare centers is dramatic, and not just since yesterday: the municipalities and providers are mainly struggling with a lack of staff. This also applies to Murnau, where groups have already been closed because of this. The current situation was outlined in the main committee. Veronika Jones-Gilch speaker calls for people to actively rent apartments.
Murnau
– The step had stirred up dust and caused trouble. We're talking about the poaching bonus for daycare staff, which the Murnau local council decided on a good year ago. Accordingly, employees of childcare facilities in the market town can receive a bonus of 2,000 euros if they recruit a skilled worker who works in a daycare center that is more than 25 kilometers from the market town and not in the district. The verdict from Garmisch-Partenkirchen Mayor Elisabeth Koch (CSU) was harsh: “I am deeply disappointed,” she said at the time. “This is a hostile act towards colleagues.”
In a letter to Murnau's town hall boss Rolf Beuting (ÖDP/Citizens' Forum) and the local councilors, several CSU mayors expressed clear criticism in 2023. It was said: “The commitment of individual communities should rather concentrate on training more staff 'in the district - for the district'." Krün's mayor Thomas Schwarzenberger (CSU) emphasized at the time: "We are a community of solidarity, but that is not the case sense."
Now the main administrative committee has come to the conclusion that the bonus is a non-starter. It “has not been called up yet,” said Franziska Riederer-Hejna, head of the Office for Social Affairs and Family. According to her, the carriers suspect that it is due to the restriction imposed by the 25-kilometer and district radius.
Multi-part package
The package that the local council put together last year to attract skilled workers includes other points in addition to the bonus. In September 2023, the first trainee began the so-called practice-integrated training. From September there will be another trainee who is currently completing the social education introductory year in the Drachennest. Further places could still be allocated, according to the meeting template. The application phase is currently underway.
Since September, trainees from all disciplines have had the opportunity to receive 29 euros as support for the Deutschlandticket. But: “The measure is only partially implemented by the providers,” says the administration. “Large providers that offer this training in different areas cannot only implement the offer for one institution.” The plan could also not be implemented for collective bargaining reasons.
The package of measures also included a passage on a municipal housing pool. Specialists who work in childcare facilities in Murnau are informed about available apartments in the municipality and taken into account when allocating them. An apartment has now been arranged for an employee of a provider.
Beuting summed up that the report shows “where the problem is, you can’t keep it quiet.” But the mayor assured: “We are working every day to make the problem smaller. It is clear to us that families are suffering.” However, the community “cannot bake skilled workers”. Murnau is not the only municipality with this problem. “We are trying everything humanly possible,” assured Beuting.
Stephanie Neumeir-Schrank (Alliance 90/The Greens) described the situation as “fatal”. However, it is not true that the specialist staff are not available. According to her, there were six serious applications at the Murmel Family Center, of which Neumeir-Schrank is chairwoman. She believes: “Structural requirements and housing often fail.”
Veronika Jones-Gilch (Alliance 90/The Greens) also refers to the latter problem. “It would be important to rent and maintain apartments. That would make a real difference.” The working conditions are also crucial, such as a guaranteed low childcare ratio. “That would put a huge downward pressure on the workload,” says the childcare consultant. Their conclusion: “Either you do something, or it will constantly get worse.” You don’t have to reinvent the wheel at any point.
Additional childcare spaces are to be created in the house for children on Längenfeldweg. It is under construction and is scheduled to be completed in September 2025. They also want to set up a large day care center for children under three years of age on Bahnhofstrasse in a building right next to the old post office. The main administrative committee approved the application for funding submitted by the Murmel Association.