Take advantage of advice on enrolling a child in daycare or childminding

Parents should contact the responsible office in good time to find out whether there are any free childcare places.

Personal contact or getting to know each other personally between you and the KiTa makes sense and is usually possible. Many facilities offer an opportunity to get to know their facility prior to registration.

After registration, the available places are allocated according to the locally specified rules.

Whether there is a fixed procedure or whether parents have to register with daycare centers themselves varies in the 41 youth welfare office districts in Rhineland-Palatinate. You can often apply directly to a daycare center (or to a childminder) or search for a suitable daycare center on the homepage of your youth welfare office.

Some youth welfare offices offer online portals for finding and registering a place.

You can always contact your local youth welfare office.

You can always contact your local youth welfare office.

A child who is 1 year old or older is entitled to early childhood education in a daycare facility or in a daycare center until his or her 3rd birthday.

If both parents are unable to care for their child themselves, children under 1 year of age may already be entitled to early childhood support. This is the case, for example, if both parents work.

From the child's 3rd birthday until he or she starts school, the child is entitled to support in a daycare facility.

A child who is 1 year old or older is entitled to early childhood support in a daycare facility or in a daycare center until their 3rd birthday. From the 3rd birthday until the child starts school, the child is entitled to support in a day care facility.

If both parents are unable to look after their child themselves or for other reasons, children under the age of 1 may already be entitled to early childhood support. This is the case, for example, if both parents are working.

The amount of your costs will depend, among other things, on your income, the size of your household, and the amount of care you receive.

Daycare centers:

In Rhineland-Palatinate, daycare places are free of charge from your child's 2nd birthday.

This means that a contribution may be charged for children up to their 2nd birthday and from school entry.

If you have more than one child, the fee is often waived. The amount also depends on the desired care time for your child.

If you have no income of your own or a rather low income, you may be entitled to a free place: your youth welfare office will then bear the costs itself. The youth welfare office will advise you on this and you are also entitled to this.

Day care:

Looking after your child at a day care center often costs something. Sometimes this care still costs something even after the child's 2nd birthday.

Here too, if you have a low income / no income, you can get the costs covered by the youth welfare office.

Contact your youth welfare office and / or the daycare center where you want to register your child early.

Some youth welfare offices set registration deadlines by which you should register for a place each year.

There are legal regulations in the state in the "State law on the upbringing, education and care of children in day facilities and in child day care" ( KiTaG for short) and in federal law, there in the Social Code, Book 8, §§ 22 to 24 and § 90.

• KiTaG can be found here, among others: https://www.landesrecht.rlp.de/bsrp/document/jlr-KTagStGRP2019pP14and here in the "Kita-Broschüre" of the state: https://kita.rlp.de/fileadmin/kita/KiTa_in_RLP/KiTaG/Dokumente/230918_KITA-Gesetz.pdf.
• The 8th book of the Social Code can be found here: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_8/BJNR111630990.html#BJNR111630990BJNG000506140

• §§ 22 Social Code Book Eight (SGB VIII)

This depends on whether your youth welfare office specifies a certain registration procedure. It is often also possible to register directly at a daycare center / with a childminder.

If your child is still under 1 year old, proof of employment must sometimes be presented. The daycare center or youth welfare office will inform you of this.

As a rule, places are offered for children who live near the daycare center. However, there are also companies with "company daycare centers" and other exceptional options.

Who decides whether I get a place for my child?

Whether a place is allocated by the daycare center itself or by the youth welfare office depends on the local regulations. You can find out if you simply ask.

What do I do if I can't find a place myself?

Your youth welfare office is responsible for helping you to find a place. The youth welfare offices are obliged to inform parents or parents' parents about the places available and the educational concept of the facilities and to advise them on their choice.

12.06.2024