More planning security for daycare centres

With provider contracts, the city secures the financing of operating costs by the various providers of day care facilities for children and thus creates more planning security.

4 May 2023
Group picture of carrier contracts
  • From left: Helena Wala, Kerstin Tietz (both Grashüpfer e. V.), Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich, Detlef Rudzio (Neubeckum parish), Olaf Schulte (City of Beckum), Ute Ivetic (Neubeckum parish), Bernd Matuszek (City of Beckum), Katharina Linnemannstöns (Neubeckum parish) and Katrin Fechner (Arche Noah day care centre management).

The town of Beckum subsidises the operating costs of daycare centres beyond the legal requirements by taking over parts of the operating costs that are actually borne by the providers themselves. This secures the financing of operating costs in the long term and gives the daycare centre providers more planning security. Now it was time to sign the sponsorship agreements with the parents' initiative "Die Grashüpfer e. V." and the Protestant parish of Neubeckum.

More planning security for everyone involved
"I am delighted that we can create more planning security for everyone involved in this way and maintain the diversity of providers," said Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich at the signing ceremony with representatives of the two providers and the Youth and Social Services Department.

Increased subsidies for operating costs
On the basis of the Child Education Act (KIBIZ), daycare centre providers must bear their own operating costs on a pro rata basis. The rest is covered by the municipal youth welfare office. When the contract comes into force on 1 August, the church daycare centre "Arche Noah" and the daycare centre "Die Grashüpfer", which is run by a parents' initiative, will receive increased subsidies towards their operating costs. The Grashüpfer will then receive a municipal operating cost subsidy amounting to 35 per cent of the provider's share, while Noah's Ark will receive a subsidy of 63 per cent. The different percentages result from different legal requirements and other circumstances, among other things. For example, parents' initiatives bear a lower share of their operating costs than church organisations.

"Die Grashüpfer " has been offering 30 daycare places in 2 groups on Graf-Galen-Straße in Neubeckum for many years. In a few months, the daycare centre will move to the new building at Gustav-Moll-Straße 47a, where it will have 75 places. The town of Beckum will also pay part of the basic rent on a permanent basis.

The Protestant parish of Neubeckum runs the Noah's Ark day care centre at Herderstraße 8 in Neubeckum with 2 mixed-age groups. There is also a group for children aged 3 and over in the nearby community centre. Due to the difficult financial situation of the parish and in order to maintain the diversity of providers, the city will take over half of the funding for the 2 mixed-age groups and the entire funding for the group in the community centre. This funding commitment will be cancelled. This means that the previous arrangements with the two daycare centre providers will be transferred to a contract.

Currently, 19 of the 22 independent daycare centres are already receiving additional funding in this way. Around 542,000 euros will be spent on this additional voluntary daycare centre funding in 2023. In total, the municipal subsidy for daycare centres in the current financial year amounts to almost 13 million euros.