By Michael Sauerbier
Brandenburg’s parents and educators are fed up. Almost 400 after-school care centers, crèches and kindergartens protested against the “daycare collapse” in the country on Monday. Main problem: the lack of staff.
Around 700 demonstrators moved to the Potsdam Lustgarten, hundreds through the Cottbus “Sprem” (Spremberger Straße), thousands protested throughout Brandenburg. Everyone has the same problem: there are not enough teachers.
“We have to look after 199 children with 17 colleagues,” reports Jana Gödecke (52) from the Potsdam focal point daycare center “Sportakus”. “They come from many countries, some have disabilities, many behavioral problems. But translators and specialist advisors are missing.”
Daycare teacher Jana Gödecke (52): “Many colleagues are burned out, take psychotropic drugs” Photo: Michael Sauerbier
Sickness among staff is increasing. “Many colleagues had a burnout,” says Gödecke. “Some can only work with psychotropic drugs. We are often just mediators and supervisors. Nobody wants to work under these conditions anymore.”
Parents also suffer from the lack of teachers. “Our day care center has limited the care times,” says mother Catharina Kahl (37, 2 children) from Potsdam. “Sometimes friends have to take the children with them, sometimes my husband or I have to stay at home – even though we work full-time.”
Brandenburg’s Youth Minister Steffen Freiberg (41, SPD) has no quick solution Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Michael Bahlo
Brandenburg’s politicians have been promising solutions for years. On Monday also the new youth minister Steffen Freiberg (41, SPD).
“But the politicians don’t solve the problems,” says Catharina Kahl. The promised new daycare law was stopped because neither the government nor the districts want to pay.
“Daycare places, educators, costs – everything is unclear and varies from region to region,” complains Potsdam’s AWO boss Angela Schweers. “The problems would be solved with a sensible daycare law!”