On 28.01.2024, taz published an article about how professionals are dealing with staff shortages and insufficient daycare places. 

Although daycare attendance has a positive impact on social inequalities, especially for very young children from families with a low socio-economic status, they are less likely to attend daycare centers. 

Prof. Corinna Kleinert, Deputy Director of the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories, says: "Daycare can reduce social inequalities". This makes it all the more important that these children can take the opportunity. However, although families with a low socio-economic background express just as great a need for childcare places, children from higher socio-economic families are more likely to have a place at a daycare center. 

To compensate for this further, significantly more childcare places are needed. However, these are tied to the staffing ratio and the shortage of skilled workers is already clearly noticeable. The increased workload due to higher documentation requirements and a lack of staff is making the situation more difficult. 

You can find the full article here in German.