Inclusion in daycare centers: Lower Saxony combats the shortage of skilled workers with a new project!

Inclusion in daycare centers: Lower Saxony combats the shortage of skilled workers with a new project!

There is an urgent problem in Lower Saxony: many daycare centers regularly have to limit the care of their children due to a lack of staff. The good news is that the Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband Hannover has now launched a courageous project to counteract this shortage. Under the name “Inclusion in daycare teams”, an innovative approach is being pursued that not only aims to attract skilled workers, but also actively practices inclusion.

Leonie Warnecke is one of the first participants in this project. The young woman, who previously worked in a workshop for people with disabilities, has now gotten a place in a daycare center in Hanover and is lovingly looking after the children there. The idea is clear: people with disabilities should be integrated into the regular daycare teams and trained as daycare assistants. The financial burden on the daycare centers remains manageable, as they only have to cover 25% of the salaries. The rest is financed through a government funding program, which makes the project even more attractive. Loud NDR Those responsible for the project draw a thoroughly positive interim conclusion: Kerstin Tack, chairwoman of the Joint Lower Saxony Association, even describes the project as a milestone.

Inclusion as an educational mission

But the project goes far beyond simply solving the shortage of skilled workers. In Lower Saxony, the joint upbringing of children with and without disabilities is anchored in law. These requirements are implemented in institutions through integrative education and early childhood support. The Lower Saxony education system tries to ensure educational success and social participation for all children. The Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband is not alone here: the project is supported by the legal framework of the NKiTaG, which sets minimum standards for structural quality in early childhood education. The Lower Saxony State Youth Welfare Office is the contact person for the planning and implementation of such integrative offers, such as bildungsportal-niedersachsen.de to read.

With the aim of promoting diversity in daycare centers, the project brings valuable impulses. “This gives the children the chance to experience inclusion and gain new perspectives,” says Kerstin Tack. When looking at this, it becomes clear that inclusion is not only a legal mandate, but above all it also enriches everyday interactions in our societies.

A look into the future

However, the challenges remain great. A current report from the State Audit Office shows that more than half of daycare centers have to limit their care due to a lack of staff. And the state government is currently not planning any measures to ease this situation, which is leading to weekly protests in front of the State Chancellery in Hanover. An upcoming issue in these protests is the planned reform of the daycare law, which is viewed by many as inadequate. The initiative of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband comes at exactly the right time.

Experts clearly emphasize the need to promote specialists in early childhood education and to ensure the quality of care. A 2022 report by the German Youth Institute highlights that the shortage of skilled workers is the most pressing problem in early education. The key to a solution could lie in the increased qualification and integration of people with disabilities so that they can find a place in the education system and all children can benefit from a diverse and inclusive daycare culture. All of these aspects make it clear that something is moving here that is not only important but also necessary.