Kitas on Rügen: Too much space, but too few children!

Kitas on Rügen: Too much space, but too few children!

In the last few months, an unmistakable development in childcare has become visible in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: the number of children in care is falling. This is particularly noticeable on Rügen, where the Auenwickel daycare center in Sagard was reopened a few months ago and offers a wide range of space, which is, however, undermined by a decline in births.

The Auenrudel Kita, which has been operating in new, spacious premises with an area of ​​1,630 square meters since January 2024, represents a modern answer to the challenges of early childhood education. The equipment is impressive: In addition to large group rooms, there are play niches, therapy tables and even a gymnasium with a climbing mountain and slide. The investment in this facility amounted to around 6.5 million euros and was the result of extensive planning by architect Wolfgang Warnkross and the local educators.[ Baltic Sea newspaper ]

Growing challenges due to declining birth rates

Across Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania there is a decline in the number of births, which also has a direct impact on daycare centers. Around 9,670 children were born in 2023, which corresponds to a decrease of 10.6 percent compared to the previous year.[ Northern Courier ] This development means that on March 1, 2024, only 116,664 children were cared for in daycare centers, after-school care centers and childminders, a decrease of almost 1,000 children compared to the previous year. These statistical data contrast with the large-scale investments in new daycare facilities.

The Auenrudel daycare center currently offers 126 places, but has not created any additional childcare places. The increase in children with developmental delays and language deficits is particularly alarming. The facility is responding to this trend with special support programs and its own rooms for speech therapy and occupational therapy. As daycare director Carina Lipp emphasizes, better care ratios are needed to meet the individual needs of the children.[ Baltic Sea newspaper ]

National trends and recommendations

The trend decline in births does not only affect Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but is a nationwide phenomenon. Particularly in rural regions of eastern Germany, many daycare centers are affected by the challenge of empty places and teachers suffering from a high staff shortage.[ Municipal ] The Education and Science Union (GEW) is calling for an increase in the number of specialist staff and a reduction in the number of childcare workers in order to meet the increasing complexity of the requirements.

The Bertelsmann Foundation sees the decline in the number of children as an opportunity to improve the quality of education in daycare centers. Instead of just creating new places, the focus should be on the variety of offers and the qualifications of the educators. This could not only increase parental satisfaction, but also successfully promote the integration of children with a migrant background. One in nine children in the daycare centers now has a migrant background, and over 70 percent of these children live in households where German is predominantly not spoken.[ Northern Courier ]

Given the fact that in many communities, especially in rural areas, overcapacity in the daycare situation is becoming a real issue, those responsible are faced with the challenge of finding flexibility and innovative solutions in order to continue to ensure the necessary care. Perhaps now is the right time to develop a comprehensive strategy that not only maintains the status quo, but also develops the daycare centers into social contact points in which family-related offers and health promotion also play a role.[ Municipal ]