Germany lacks childcare spots for 299,000 young children: study

Berlin, Germany | Xinhua | Germany is grappling with a shortage of childcare spots for 299,000 children aged three or younger this year, according to a study published Friday by the German Economic Institute (IW).

“While birth rates have been declining for two years, the childcare situation is unlikely to ease in the future,” the institute warned in a statement.

Last year, around 22,000 of some 30,000 vacancies in the field of childcare in Germany remained unfilled, said the IW.

The German government has taken measures, including investing around 4 billion euros (4.24 billion U.S. dollars) to improve access to children’s daycare and to attract and retain qualified professionals in early childhood education.

“All children in the country, no matter where they live, where their parents come from, whether they come from an affluent home or a poor one, should have the same opportunities to receive quality early childhood education,” said Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus in August. (1 euro = 1.06 U.S. dollars)