Demand for daycare places is falling
Five municipal daycare centres will cease operations by 2027 at the latest
The demand for places in daycare centres is declining due to the trend in the number of births in Chemnitz. It is therefore planned to stop accepting new children in five municipal daycare centres from summer 2023. According to current daycare centre requirements planning, the facilities will then close completely by summer 2027 at the latest. This is the result of the current daycare needs plan, which is drawn up annually by the youth welfare office to determine the number of places required in daycare centres. As part of the requirements plan, it is therefore proposed to the city council to reduce capacity in the following municipal daycare centres:
- Daycare centre Altendorfer Straße 25 (capacity 105 places)
- Daycare centre Albert-Schweitzer-Straße 71 (capacity 75 places)
- Fürstenstraße daycare centre 263 - 265 (capacity 106 places)
- Daycare centre Weststraße 11 (capacity 98 places)
- Daycare centre Alfred-Neubert-Straße 55/57 (capacity 95 places) - except after-school care
The Youth Welfare Office's annual daycare needs planning will first be discussed in the Youth Welfare Committee on 24 January and presented to the City Council for a decision on 8 February. Demand planning is based on the development of the number of births in relation to the number of available childcare places and their utilisation.
The city of Chemnitz currently provides a childcare place for 64 per cent of Chemnitz children of nursery age. In 2022, however, this offer was only taken up by an average of 52 per cent. The number of places available for children of nursery age is also higher than the take-up rate. The number of places available for children of nursery age is in line with demand.
With the current demand planning, the legal entitlement to a childcare place for every child continues to be guaranteed, while at the same time the supply level is adjusted to the population development. The centres were selected on the basis of their location in the city and the capacities available in the social area.
The Youth Welfare Office has informed the parents of the children in the centres proposed for reduction as a precautionary measure. The Youth Welfare Office also assists in the search for a suitable place if a suitable childcare place is required for younger or future children.