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/
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