Discussions held on vacation care, mattress purchases, and financial boosters amongst various nations
The federal government's plans for a tax-based investment program have received a warm welcome from the states and various organisations, including the IHK Region Stuttgart. The focus of this program is to strengthen the effort to provide full-day care (Ganztagsbetreuung) for primary school children in Germany.
The Federal Council’s decision aims to provide full-day care for primary school children in grades 1 to 4 as a legal right from the 2026/2027 school year. This decision aligns with Germany’s broader commitment to guaranteeing all children the same development opportunities through needs-based childcare and education services. The federal government promotes this commitment with substantial financial backing.
Key impacts of the Federal Council’s decision are:
- Federal funding support: The government is advancing quantitative and qualitative expansion of full-day care and education for primary school children, building on programs like the 2008 Childcare Funding Act and the Childcare Quality Act (KiTa-Qualitätsgesetz), with billions of euros allocated to support states through 2025 and 2026.
- Legal reinforcement of children's rights: Full-day care facilities are increasingly recognised as essential for child development, family-work reconciliation, and social equality. The Federal Council’s decisions help operationalize these goals by ensuring federal funds promote access to all-day schooling and comprehensive social support measures such as school meals.
- Programs aimed at quality standards: The decision enhances focus on improving staff-to-child ratios, qualified personnel, child development, language education, and other key areas affecting care quality.
- Contribution to equal opportunity: By supporting full-day school programs, the decision helps bridge education and social opportunity gaps for children from different backgrounds.
In addition to this, the Federal Council has endorsed the introduction of a circular economy for mattresses, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of disposing mattresses, with approximately eight million mattresses being disposed of in Germany annually. Most of these disposed mattresses are currently burned.
CEO Susanne Herre of IHK Region Stuttgart stated that lack of care options often leads many employees, particularly women, to work part-time more than they would like. FDP faction leader Hans-Ulrich Rülke has urged the state to support the "investment booster".
However, it's important to note that regular school care capacities are not sufficient to meet this demand. School holidays will be covered by holiday offers from youth work to fulfil the legal claim.
In sum, the Federal Council’s decision catalyzes full-day care availability and quality for primary school children in Germany by aligning federal investment and legal support with nationwide educational equity and child welfare objectives.
- The IHK Region Stuttgart,, among other organisations, welcomes the federal government's plans for a tax-based investment program, recognizing its potential to improve full-day care for primary school children.
- The federal government's decision to guarantee full-day care as a legal right for primary school children from the 2026/2027 school year aligns with their broader commitment to equal development opportunities.
- The federal investment in full-day care and education for primary school children, totaling billions of euros, supports the expansion and improvement of programs like the 2008 Childcare Funding Act and the Childcare Quality Act.
- Full-day care facilities are seen as vital for child development, family-work reconciliation, and social equality, and the Federal Council's decisions prioritize access to these facilities through federal funds and comprehensive social support measures.
- As part of a broader commitment to a circular economy, the Federal Council has endorsed a plan to reduce the environmental impact of disposing mattresses, which are currently burned at a rate of approximately eight million per year in Germany.
- CEO Susanne Herre of IHK Region Stuttgart has highlighted that lack of care options often forces employees, particularly women, to work part-time, urging the state to support the "investment booster".
- In addition to regular school care, holiday offers from youth work will be provided to fulfill the legal claim during school holidays, as current capacities are not sufficient to meet the demand for full-day care.
