A recent report revealed that immigrant families in Germany have considerable difficulty finding a place for their children in a daycare center. In contrast, the report indicates that German children have easier access to such facilities.
According to The Expert Council of German Institutions for Integration and Migration (SVR), which conducted the study, children with a migration background encounter greater difficulties in gaining admission to daycare centers compared to German children, according to “Info Migrants” website.
The study shows that about eight out of ten children with a migration background received a daycare place in 2020, while children without a migration background were admitted more easily and in greater numbers.
The study recommends working toward making daycare centers a “driving force of integration” and “improving access to childcare for immigrant families.”
Among the study’s significant recommendations are “securing funding for language acquisition, protecting linguistic diversity, and improving working conditions for employees.”
Early childhood education is particularly important for immigrant children to learn and acquire the German language at a young age, which improves their chances later to perform better at school.
In addition, the study suggests that parents with an immigrant background should be adequately counseled about the German education system in daycare centers.
It is worth mentioning that since the law was changed in 2013 in Germany, children under the age of one are also entitled to a place in a daycare center.
Daycare is a form of childcare in Germany comparable to daycare centers or kindergartens. Daycare workers accompany children in their development, plan educational activities, support children’s learning and enable them to gain independent experience and explore the world. Children play with their peers and learn significant social skills that enable them to successfully navigate our society. In the family environment, children acquire life skills that are essential to formal education. Child care and support is tailored to the individual needs of each child.
