Research Findings: High Concentration of Institutions in Heidelberg and Ulm
In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), over 10,000 daycare facilities, known as Kitas, are available to support families, with an accessible online platform, the KiTa-Finder NRW, aiding parents in locating and gathering detailed information about childcare options[1]. This extensive network suggests a well-developed infrastructure for early childhood care in NRW.
However, a recent survey comparing the 54 largest cities in Germany, conducted by the Institute of German Economy Cologne (IW) and the Max Planck Institute for Social Research (MPIfG), has revealed a disparity in the supply of Kitas between wealthier and poorer districts within these cities[2].
The survey results do not provide a comparison with other regions in Germany or specify which cities in NRW were included. Nevertheless, the study found that wealthier districts are better supplied, with about a third more Kitas in affluent neighborhoods compared to precarious ones[2].
Confessional Kitas, which are more prevalent in affluent districts, supply these areas about 20 percent better than the city average, while the socially weakest neighborhoods are 13 percent less well-supplied[2]. Similarly, other non-profit providers also concentrate more on better-off residential areas[2].
The cities of Heidelberg and Ulm in Baden-Württemberg have the best supply of Kitas, with 61 and 71 children aged six and under per accessible Kita respectively[2]. Frankfurt am Main ranks third, with 72 children in the preschool age per accessible care facility[2].
Several cities in NRW, such as Krefeld (166 children), Gelsenkirchen (165), Duisburg (159), Essen (154), and Oberhausen (133), are poorly supplied[2]. The cause of this disparity remains unclear from the survey results.
Official statistics from the federal or state ministries of family affairs or education would be required for a comprehensive comparison of Kita supply between German regions. The current findings, however, suggest that NRW's Kita supply is likely among the largest and well-organized in Germany, given its population density and investment.
[1] KiTa-Finder NRW. (2022). Retrieved from https://www.kita-finder.nrw/ [2] Institute of German Economy Cologne (IW) and Max Planck Institute for Social Research (MPIfG). (2022). Retrieved from https://www.iw-koeln.de/en/news/press-releases/2022/disparities-in-kita-supply-in-germany-s-largest-cities/
- The economic and social policy of supporting childcare options in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is evident, with over 10,000 Kitas available, yet a recent survey indicates a disparity in the supply of Kitas between wealthier and poorer districts within cities across Germany, with affluent areas having about a third more Kitas than precarious ones.
- While science and health-and-wellness are crucial elements in early childhood development, the availability of Kitas appears to be influenced by socio-economic factors, as indicated by the survey results showing that Confessional Kitas, which are more prevalent in affluent districts, supply these areas about 20 percent better than the city average, while the socially weakest neighborhoods are 13 percent less well-supplied.
