Kindergarten Crisis Turned Abundance: What's Next for Bremen?
Sudden increase in kindergarten spots outnumbers Bremen children: origins of the unexpected shift revealed
In what may seem like a paradox, the city of Bremen is on the brink of having more kindergarten (Kita) spaces than children enrolled. This shift comes merely a short while after a severe shortage of over 1,300 spaces, forcing families to wait for registrations. By 2025/2026, an estimated surplus of more than 1,500 spaces looms. With decreased demand, Bremen faces an unexpected challenge—balancing an overabundance of Kita spots.
Spurring the Extra Space
The oversupply of Kita spaces can be attributed to two primary factors. Firstly, the expansion of kindergarten facilities in Bremen—14 new facilities within the past two years alone—has significantly increased the number of available spaces. Secondly, due to German law, kindergartens must provide spaces for every child who is legally entitled, even if they haven't been registered.
The Missing Piece: Why Aren't Families Utilizing These Spaces?
Bildungssenatorin Sascha Aulepp (SPD) points out that the number of children requiring language support who aren't attending kindergarten is on the rise in Bremen. With a high migration rate, Bremen hosts a large number of children with immigrant backgrounds, and studies show that these children are less likely to attend kindergarten compared to their locally born counterparts.
Measured Against Other Regions
Compared to other federal states, Bremen has a relatively low childcare rate. Only 30.2% of children under three in Bremen attend daycare, compared to the national average of 37.4%, and only 87.4% of kindergarten children attend compared to the nationwide average of 91.3%.
The Benefits of Kindergarten
Kristin Tanneberg from Verbund Bremer Kindergruppen emphasizes the advantages of attending kindergarten or daycare for a child's development. Kindergarten helps children learn to interact in groups, gain confidence, and develop social skills. Additionally, children with non-German-speaking backgrounds can accelerate their language learning and make the transition to school smoother.
Bremen's Response and Challenges Ahead
The education authority aims to reach out to families in various ways, including through multilingual communication, and increasing awareness in neighborhoods about the right to a childcare place. However, kindergartens run by parents' associations are already concerned about insufficient enrollment, as 22 facilities aren't filling their groups, such as Kita Firlefanz in Bremen-North. Loss of funding can threaten the survival of kindergartens if enrollment remains low, potentially leading to closures.
Beyond Bremen's Kindergartens:
Investigating factors specific to Bremen would shed light on the reasons behind decreased demand for kindergarten spaces. Potential contributing factors may include local demographic trends, economic conditions, family planning decisions, and education choices. To gain a deeper understanding of this situation in Bremen, it is crucial to analyze local data and relevant studies.
In light of the surplus of kindergarten spaces, Bremer education-and-self-development authorities are seeking to reach out to immigrant families, acknowledging the rising number of children needing language support as a potential reason for the low enrollment. Understanding the reasons behind decreased demand in Bremen, such as local demographic trends, economic conditions, family planning decisions, and education choices, could help address this issue and ensure the continuity of Bremer kindergartens.
