A survey was carried out to identify the most pressing challenges in the kindergarten system (Dr. Kemper, Thomas; Colbasevici, Liubovi; Espenhorst, Niels. Kita-Bericht 2022 des Paritätischen Gesamtverbandes. Der Paritätische Gesamtverband. Berlin. Juni 2022). In most municipalities, a clear lack of childcare places is perceived. More than two thirds of the survey participants (67%) are of the opinion that the supply of childcare places at the municipal level is rather or not at all sufficient. This view is shared above all in large cities with 100,000 or more inhabitants. There, about 80 % of the participants state that there is a lack of childcare places. 28% of day care centers have 40 or more children waiting for a waiting for a place. The shortage of skilled workers is so pronounced that for half of the participants the existing capacities in the facilities cannot be fully used.
Another survey among the kindergarten management confirmed the seriousness of staff shortages (Deutscher Kitaleitungskongress. Pressemitteilung: DKLK-Studie offenbart einen sich deutlich verschärfenden Personalmangel in den Kitas. Düsseldorf. April 2022). 57% of the managers surveyed stated that they had worked with a staff shortage more than 20% of the time in the past twelve months, i.e. with fewer staff than required by the regulations on supervisory duties (in 2021, the figure was still 40%). 16 % of the day care centre managers state that more than 60 % of the time they work with a staff shortage relevant to supervision obligations. 84% of managers say that staff shortages have worsened in the last twelve months. In at least 57% of the daycare centres in the 1 to 3 year old sector and at least 74% in the above year old sector, the actual specialist-child ratio is worse than scientifically recommended (1 specialist to 3children for ages under 3, 1 specialist to 7.5 children aged above 3 years).
