Whether you are in the early stages of considering your childcare options or are desperately searching for somewhere for your child, it is good to understand the options available to you. There are three main options for childcare in Berlin: Kita (nursery/daycare), Tagesmutter (childminder) or a nanny/au pair. The three options will be explained further in this post...
Kita / Kinderladen / Kindertagestätte) / Kindergarten / Krippe
(Nursery / Daycare)
This is the most common type of childcare in Germany. Kitas are the German version of a crèche/nursery and automatically go over into Kindergarten once the child is three years old with the term “grippe” sometimes being used to describe a Kita for children under three years old.
The large proportion of Kitas are public Kitas, meaning the state pays some* of the cost of your child being looked after there. The three years of Kindergarten before your child begins to attend school are free* for children in Berlin. There are some private Kitas however (a lot of the bilingual ones are private) and these are of course more expensive. Some Kitas will mix age groups together, whilst others will separate the younger and older children and there are even Forest Kitas, where children spend either all or the majority of their time outdoors, all year round.
Some things to note in relation to Kitas:
Benefits of Kitas:
Disadvantages of Kitas:
The large proportion of Kitas are public Kitas, meaning the state pays some* of the cost of your child being looked after there. The three years of Kindergarten before your child begins to attend school are free* for children in Berlin. There are some private Kitas however (a lot of the bilingual ones are private) and these are of course more expensive. Some Kitas will mix age groups together, whilst others will separate the younger and older children and there are even Forest Kitas, where children spend either all or the majority of their time outdoors, all year round.
Some things to note in relation to Kitas:
- The size of Kitas varies very strongly, from some with only 20 children to some with a few hundred. There are relatively stringent rules on how many “Erzieher” (childcare worker) per child must be present for each age group.
- Most Kitas have a “Sommerschließzeit” (summer holidays) during which they close for between 2 and 4 weeks. This varies from Kita to Kita and there are some Kitas that do not have any Schließzeiten (closing days), so you should ask about this when considering which KiTa suits your family. Most Kitas also close between Christmas and New Year, on bank holidays and “Brückentage” (days between bank holidays and weekends). You are entitled to childcare in an alternative Kita if you require it, but must provide a letter from your employer to state that it is not possible for you to take holidays during the Kita holidays (some Kitas are also not very open to offering this service so you may have to push for it).
- The opening times can vary strongly between different Kitas, with some opening from 06:00 to 20:00 and others only from 08:00 to 17:00 or even shorter. Depending on your work commitments you will need to be aware of the opening times of your chosen Kita in advance, so do ask about this when visiting them.
- Most Kitas begin with their group of new, young children in August, as the older children begin school at this time of year and so availability for a new group opens up. You should consider this when planning your options. This doesn'tt mean it is impossible to get a spot at other times of year, it can just be harder.
- It is also important to note that many, many people put their child on quite a large number of waiting lists. As every child can of course only accept one spot in the end, it is possible to move up on a waiting list very quickly. It can be very confusing to be told you are “on spot number 100” one day and within a few weeks be offered a place, but it is simply down to the fact that there is a severe shortage of places and as such most people try to secure a place in one of many Kitas by registering for many. So don’t be disheartened if you are told you are way down the list – many parents have reported that they got offered a spot after hearing such phrases!
Benefits of Kitas:
- They have rules and a system to which the Kita must adhere.
- Kitas will have different childcare workers with which you can agree/disagree on certain issues (as in, if you aren't so keen on one of the workers, there may be others you 'click' better with.
- Kitas often offer longer opening hours than Tagesmutter/Tagesvater.
- Your child can stay in the same childcare from their beginning, up until school age.
- When your child’s carer is sick or on holidays, there will be others who can take care of your child (unlike with a Tagesmutter).
Disadvantages of Kitas:
- The group sizes can often be bigger than with a Tagesmutter.
- Different childcare workers, so that the same person is not always there to look after your child.
- Often limited flexibility.
- Some Kitas mix age groups together which can be overwhelming for those starting Kita at a very young age.
Tagesmutter / Tagesvater / Tagesflege
(child minder)
The Tagesmutter (childminder) looks after children either in their own home or in a separate location dedicated to their childcare work. As over 90 % are female, I will refer to this type of childcare as Tagesmutter, there are however some 'Tagesväter'. The official German term used by the Ämter (government offices) is “Tagespflege”. Sometimes two or three Tagesmütter come together, rent rooms and run a childcare center together. The large majority, however, mind the children in their own home and are allowed to mind between 3 and 6 children, depending on their experience etc..
As with the Kitas, there are public and private Tagesmütter. A public Tagesmutter works in the same manner as the Kitas (you apply for a Gutschein and then pay a certain amount of state contribution), a private Tagesmutter is more like a babysitter with an hourly charge and a monthly bill. Public Tagesmütter are usually only allowed to mind children up to three years of age, at which point they usually move on to Kita for their final years before beginning school.
Benefits of a Tagesmutter:
Disadvantages of a Tagesmutter:
Here's a post of 'How to apply for a Tagesmutter spot in Berlin'
As with the Kitas, there are public and private Tagesmütter. A public Tagesmutter works in the same manner as the Kitas (you apply for a Gutschein and then pay a certain amount of state contribution), a private Tagesmutter is more like a babysitter with an hourly charge and a monthly bill. Public Tagesmütter are usually only allowed to mind children up to three years of age, at which point they usually move on to Kita for their final years before beginning school.
Benefits of a Tagesmutter:
- You have one dedicated person to look after your child,
- They offer a smaller and more personal environment.
- They can be less overwhelming for much younger babies and can offer a more hands-on approach due to the smaller group size.
Disadvantages of a Tagesmutter:
- If the Tagesmutter is sick or on holidays, you have to find an alternative carer yourself.
- If you disagree on some child-rearing issues (e.g. when to potty train), there is only one person to discuss this with and not a “system” as in the case of a Kita,
- Your child will need to move to a Kita at age three at the latest which means a new care system and new search for childcare.
Here's a post of 'How to apply for a Tagesmutter spot in Berlin'
Nanny / Au Pair
Au Pair
This is the subject I know least about, so I will write what I do know and feel free to add any information in the comments section if you have anything extra to add.
Au Pairs in Germany are usually looking for some longer term work but there are sometimes options for shorter term care (this is often performed by a babysitter instead though).
Au Pairs often 'live in' with the family and have agreed working hours/days (usually 30-36 hours per week plus a couple of evenings babysitting). Instead of pay, they receive 'pocket money' of roughly €260 upwards per month (some, depending on experience will be more expensive or you can of course choose to pay higher), health insurance, food and money towards travel/language course costs.
There are a number of websites where you can search for an Au Pair listed below (I have no personal experience of these so they aren't recommendations) and you can also ask friends, other expat parents in Berlin if they know anyone available. I also sometimes share details of some Au Pairs searching on the BFATF Facebook page.
Great Aupair
Easy Aupair
Au Pair Agency Cefelin
Au Pair
Au Pair Care
Agentur Mary Poppins
Related Posts
- How to apply for the Kita Gutschein (also needed for a Tagesmutter spot)
- Tips for finding the right 'fit' childcare for your child
- A Guide to Berlin's Forest Kitas
- What is the Gesundheitsbescheinigung?
Berlin for all the Family can also be found on Facebook
