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Parents Confront Sharp Kita Fee Hikes Across Baden-Württemberg

Parent leaders press for a state emergency stopgap to block announced hikes, citing a decentralized system that leaves families facing wide local price gaps.

Overview

  • Full-day crèche places now cost around €800 a month in many communities, with some parents paying more than €1,000.
  • Stuttgart is weighing a roughly 20% increase that would push full-time places above €800, while Friedrichshafen and Tübingen report notable hikes and Karlsruhe is considering scrapping the sibling discount.
  • The Landeselternbeirat has launched a petition seeking about €60 million to offset near-term increases and calling for a gradual shift of Kita financing to the state level.
  • A recent SPD bid for fee-free childcare failed in the Landtag, and the government points to municipal responsibility for setting parental contributions.
  • The Education Ministry says 2025 plans include about €1.45 billion for operating-cost support plus roughly €926 million in municipal relief, as parent groups warn high fees are pushing mainly mothers out of work and exposing the limits of a non-binding 20% guideline.