Overview
- The Federal Statistical Office reports that the under‑three daycare population fell by 5.6% to 756,700, contributing to a second straight year of decline in total children in care to 3,980,200.
- Since the 2023 peak the under‑three cohort in daycare has dropped by 11.7%, a change Destatis links to lower birth rates rather than policy shifts.
- For the first time since the series began in 2006 the number of daycare facilities edged down to about 61,000, while facility staff rose only slightly to 799,500, showing much weaker workforce growth than in prior years.
- Publicly funded childminders fell for the sixth consecutive year to roughly 34,200, a decline that narrows care options for families and shifts more children into larger centres where places remain.
- Regional uptake remains uneven with eastern states at about 53.5% under‑three participation versus 34.1% in the west, and Destatis notes the 2022 census‑based population update affects direct year‑to‑year comparisons and the planning decisions it informs.