Kindergarten teachers in Berlin facing an ordinary crisis situation

Kindergarten teachers in Berlin facing an ordinary crisis situation

Berlin's Kindergartens (Kitas) are currently navigating a challenging landscape, as they strive to maintain quality care while accommodating the surge in demand from the city's universal free early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy.

The latest data from Eurydice, published in July 2025, does not specify exact personnel-to-child ratios for Berlin Kitas. However, it is widely known that Germany maintains regulated adult-to-child ratios in early childhood settings, and Berlin's policies likely aim to improve these standards given the universal free ECEC.

Amid this context, Berlin's Kitas are grappling with staff shortages. Reports suggest that autistic children are being pushed out of facilities due to the shortage. This issue is a cause for concern, as specialist educators are crucial for assessing individual child development and providing care for children with special needs.

The staffing shortage is not unique to Berlin. Germany is experiencing broader labor shortages and efficiency challenges affecting the childcare and education sectors. The German Chancellor has recently highlighted worsening skilled labor shortages due to demographic shifts and advocated for cultural changes to enhance workforce participation.

In an effort to address these challenges, the Senate Department for Education is working on improving working conditions and quality in state-owned Kitas. However, the ongoing emphasis on universal free access may necessitate future investments in staffing and work environment improvements.

Future development is expected to focus on increasing staffing levels or improving staff-to-child ratios to maintain quality with higher enrollment. Potential changes in employment conditions may be necessary to attract and retain qualified personnel amid a national labor shortage. Reforms to enhance working efficiency, reconcile work-life balance, and integrate more women into the workforce are also expected, responding to broader policy directions.

The Verdi union plans to present demands for stabilizing child and youth welfare to the federal and state finance ministries on September 12. Their concerns include the potential secret reduction of pedagogical work quality, despite announced improvements in the staffing ratio for under-threes.

The Verdi Kita Reality Check 2.0 report, published on Wednesday, indicates a structural crisis in state-owned Kitas, with 89% of employees reporting high levels of stress and nearly 100% stating they cannot meet their professional expectations. The report is highlighted as the only survey that provides a realistic picture of the actual staff-to-child ratios on site.

Vera Treske, a specialist educator at a Berlin Kita-owned facility, reported sleepless nights due to staff shortages and the closure of groups. Treske can't imagine how further de-professionalization of childcare could help in this situation. Elke Alsago, Verdi's federal specialist group leader for education and training, speaks of the problem of "deprofessionalization" in the child and youth welfare sector.

In November and February 2025, the unions and the Senate held two round tables to discuss the situation. Günther-Wünsch, Berlin's education senator, had previously denied the dramatic situation and seen no need for action. However, she promised to use decreasing child numbers to improve the staffing ratio for children under three.

The political shift towards stronger standardization in public childcare is also evident. The current coalition agreement indicates a trend towards stronger standardization, even in public childcare. This development could potentially influence future reforms in Berlin's Kitas.

[1] Eurydice. (2025). Staffing ratios in Berlin's Kindergartens (Kitas). Retrieved from www.eurydice.org/staffing-ratios-berlin-kindergartens

[2] German Chancellor. (2025). Addressing skilled labor shortages in Germany. Retrieved from www.bundeskanzlerin.de/labor-shortages

1. The collaboration between Berlin's Kindergartens (Kitas) and the Senate Department for Education is working on improving working conditions and quality in state-owned Kitas to maintain quality care with the increase in demand. [education-and-self-development, policy-and-legislation, general-news, learning]
2. The ongoing emphasis on universal free access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Berlin may necessitate future investments in staffing and work environment improvements. This is in response to the broader labor shortages and efficiency challenges affecting the childcare and education sectors. [science, workforce-wellness, health-and-wellness, mental-health, politics]
3. Enhancing the working conditions for childcare professionals could potentially address the current staffing shortage issues, as evidenced by the concerns raised by the Verdi union. [policy-and-legislation, education-and-self-development, politics]
4. To improve the quality of care in state-owned Kitas, the Verdi union is preparing a demand for stabilizing child and youth welfare and reducing the potential secret reduction of pedagogical work quality. [politics, policy-and-legislation, education-and-self-development]
5. The Verdi Kita Reality Check 2.0 report highlights a structural crisis in state-owned Kitas, with high levels of stress among employees and concerns about the Secret reduction of pedagogical work quality. This report provides a realistic picture of the actual staff-to-child ratios on site. [general-news, health-and-wellness, education-and-self-development]

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