Right-leaning union, ver.di, demands consistent education standards and qualified staff in preparation for full-time care within a year
The implementation of full-day care for elementary school children in Germany is progressing under the new "Act on All-Day Support for Children of Primary School Age" (GaFöG). This law, effective from the 2026/2027 school year, establishes a legal entitlement to all-day support for children, regardless of whether they attend regular schools or special education and counseling centers.
However, trade union ver.di has expressed concerns about the standards, financing, and organization of the full-day care, particularly in the western federal states. They fear that cash-strapped municipalities may struggle with the implementation, potentially leading to mass shortages of places, precarious working conditions, staff shortages, and unsuitable rooms.
The aim of the full-day care is to provide comprehensive care that supports educational equality and inclusion, including barrier-free and needs-oriented offers, especially for children with special educational needs. The care includes pedagogical support during and beyond school hours, aligning with educational goals to enhance learning outcomes and family-work balance.
In other European contexts, such as Austria, pedagogical standards for all-day schools include clearly separating teaching time and assisted learning phases, with specialized educators supporting children during learning and leisure periods to improve educational quality.
The GaFöG mandates public funding responsibilities, but specific financing schemes vary by state and municipality. In Germany, daycare and kindergarten fee regulations differ by federal state, with some states providing free daycare, but generally, fees apply, and subsidized childcare is available since 2013.
The implementation and organization of all-day care are state-driven, with federal guidelines under GaFöG serving as a framework. States and municipalities are responsible for setting up the infrastructure, staffing, and operational details of all-day offers. The legal entitlement applies during school days and vacations, requiring states to also provide care outside of regular school terms.
ver.di emphasizes the urgency for the responsible state ministries to issue practical implementation regulations for the Youth Welfare Act before August 2026. They argue that high pedagogical quality and reliability of the offer are only possible through a binding framework set by the states through implementation regulations. This, they believe, is in the interest of children, families, and employees.
Dr. Elke Alsago, Head of ver.di Federal Specialist Group Education, Training and Social Work, can be reached for inquiries.
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- The policy and legislation surrounding education-and-self-development, as exemplified by the Act on All-Day Support for Children of Primary School Age (GaFöG) in Germany, requires a focus on general-news and discussions, such as ver.di's concerns about implementation standards, financing, and organization of all-day care.
- Learning outcomes can be improved through all-day care, which aligns with educational goals and offers pedagogical support during and beyond school hours, as indicated in the GaFöG, a law implementing full-day care for elementary school children in Germany.
- In light of fears about potential mass shortages of places, precarious working conditions, staff shortages, and unsuitable rooms due to cash-strapped municipalities, advocacy groups like ver.di are urging responsible state ministries to issue practical implementation regulations for the Youth Welfare Act, emphasizing the importance of high pedagogical quality and reliability for the benefit of children, families, and employees.
