Monday, October 13
Two state-owned Kitas forced to close due to low demand
In a move that may surprise many parents in Berlin, two Kitas in Steglitz-Zehlendorf have been forced to close due to low demand. Several months ago, Kita Unter den Eichen had to close its doors, and now Kita Steinstraße is following suit. All eight kindergarten teachers and 48 children of Kita Steinstraße have been relocated to different Kitas. According to Carolina Böhm, youth councillor in Steglitz-Zehlendorf and chair of the board of directors of the Kita-Eigenbetrieb Süd-West, “it was a difficult decision, but […] the number of children has declined sharply in the last year.”
Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch (CDU) hasn’t ruled out additional closures across the city. This could mean redeploying staff to areas where demand remains high. As of August, the Berlin education administration reported approximately 19,000 vacant places across the city, with demand particularly low in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Pankow, and Mitte.
The consequences are being felt acutely by childcare workers themselves. The trade union Verdi has raised concerns that employees are increasingly being pressured to transfer to different facilities, with some staff facing unilateral reassignments without proper consultation. However, Senator Günther-Wünsch has highlighted one positive development – from January, improved staffing ratios will mean each educator will statistically care for four children rather than five.
