Nordhorn Tackles Childcare Shortage With New Facility and Expansion
The city of Nordhorn has seen a surge in demand for childcare spots, leading to a significant increase in registrations and waiting lists. To tackle this, the city council has approved the construction of a new large childcare facility and the expansion of an existing one, set to begin in January 2019.
Over the past five years, Nordhorn has doubled the number of child daycare spots, from around 180 to around 360. This expansion was driven by a planned parent fee exemption on the state level for the first and second year of kindergarten, which led to a rise in registration numbers. However, this increase has also led to a shortage of spots for children over the age of 3, with around 130 spots missing.
Currently, around 300 children under the age of 3 are on waiting lists for a daycare spot. To address this, the city council has approved the construction of a new large childcare facility in the Deegfeld area, housing three daycare groups and two regular groups. Additionally, they have approved the expansion of an existing facility by an additional daycare group. The city has also lowered fees for both kindergarten and daycare spots as of January 1st. Furthermore, parents of children who will reach the age of 6 between July 1st and September 30th have the option to delay their child's school start by one year, keeping them in kindergarten for another year.
The city of Nordhorn is actively working to meet the high demand for childcare spots. With the construction of a new facility and the expansion of an existing one, along with fee reductions and flexible school start options, the city aims to provide adequate care for all children in need.
