Childcare in Germany

The federal states and local authorities determine how much parents have to pay for childcare. Although there is state funding, the costs can vary. The amount of the monthly contribution paid by parents depends, among other things, on their income, place of residence, number of hours of care, the child's age, and the facility's provider. In some cases, there are additional costs for food or leisure activities.

Most daycare centres offer full-day care. Here, your child can play, learn, eat and sleep from morning until late afternoon. Care hours are usually between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

However, there are also many childcare options with different hours that start much earlier or run late into the evening. This depends entirely on the parents' needs and the respective facility.

Since 2013, parents in Germany have had a legal right to a childcare place for their children under the age of three. As demand is very high, it is important to apply early. The application process for childcare places varies depending on where you live in Germany.

Many towns and municipalities have central online platforms for registration. You can find all the important information you need to search for a place, as well as additional support options, on the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs' family portal.

Many nurseries and childcare facilities offer multilingual programmes that encourage children to learn different languages. You can find an overview of the FRM region here.

Childcare for children up to the age of three usually takes place in a nursery. Babies as young as three months old can be cared for here. The groups here are usually smaller, and there are more nursery nurses. 

In addition to nursery, there are also daycare centres that care for children from zero to six years of age. Here, the groups are often mixed-age to encourage learning together.

In addition to nurseries and kindergartens, there is also the option of having children looked after by a single carer, known as a childminder. Here, up to five children are looked after by one carer. This form of childcare is usually organised and financed privately. Depending on the agreement, the children are looked after at the childminder's home, at your home or in other premises.

Once a child has reached the age of three, they can attend Kindergarten. At Kindergarten, educational support is provided to promote children's development in important areas such as language, coordination, thinking and empathy in a playful manner. Depending on the facility, children can be cared for either full-time or part-time.

Children from the first year of school onwards can be looked after in an after-school care centre (Hort) after school hours. Care is usually offered up to the fourth year of school. After-school care centres are often closely linked to the school, both in terms of location and organisation. However, there are also an increasing number of all-day schools in the region. 

In most cases, a communal lunch is provided for all children at the after-school care centre. Many facilities focus on helping children with their school homework.

The hours of care at after-school care centres vary from facility to facility. Care often begins before school starts and ends in the afternoon. Many after-school care centres are also open during the holidays and offer special holiday programmes.

After-school care places are also very popular. It is therefore advisable to arrange childcare at an after-school care centre early on.