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First-time parents may find it to be difficult securing a kindergarten spot for their children in the city. However, the owner of Kichererbsen Oberkassel, Shuri Soffe, has the solutions to finding child care in Dusseldorf. 

It is quite challenging to find a kindergarten that is offering a spot available. While this could be due to lack of funding, lack of qualified staff, or lack of resources, you need to find child care in Dusseldorf for your children, end of story.

We also know it is just as hard to find the right institution where parents feel comfortable enough to leave their young child for up to 8 hours a day. As a new mother, you take everything into account, group sizes, number of caregivers, facilities, distance from the workplace, etc. Furthermore, those institutions with a good reputation will have long waiting lists. A large amount of them will also have a religious carrier, making it even more difficult.

TIP: If you don’t have liability insurance for your family yet, you might want to consider signing up. This covers those incidents where your child breaks something that doesn’t belong to you (however, all daycares should have their own liability insurance). You can compare different insurance providers online (and the costs) or you can get a quote from GetSafe or Feather in English (insurance for the family usually doesn’t cost much more than 6 or 7 Euros/month).

So let’s look at the alternative and come up with a solution to finding child care in Düsseldorf. 

 

What if I don’t speak German? What if I want my children in a bilingual school?

English-speaking parents or those interested in a bilingual environment may face even larger obstacles. Firstly most state-sponsored institutions are not easily connected with expatriate families. Secondly, private institutions with trained bilingual staff may get pretty pricey. However, if you don’t mind paying a little more, ISR has just opened an international Kita!

 

Fear not, there are solutions to finding child care in Dusseldorf!

In the last few years, there has been a rise in Tagesmütter/Tagesväter who are qualified childminders. Many of them have children themselves and decide to open their own private kindergarten centers. These centers are authorized and licensed by the responsible office (Jugendamt). The owners gain permission to care for young children. Of course, you can always ask for any documentation if you’re still a little hesitant. 

If you want more information about what exactly a Tagesmütter/Tagesväter is, read this post about The Essential Facts to Understanding the “Tagesmütter”

 

What does a Tagesmutter/Tagesvater do?

The Tagesmutter/Tagesvater helps in offering childcare for parents who, for example, need to return to work or need to get back into a daily routine. The Tagesmutter/Tagesvater may offer services out of their own home, in a small business facility, or may even do routine house visits. 

 

Where do I find an English Tagesmütter/Tagesvater?

Düsseldorf is becoming quite an international city which allows for much more opportunities to find a qualified Tagesmutter/Tagesvater for your child(ren).

To find a local Tagesmutter/Tagesvater, visit the local Youth Welfare Office, known as the Jugendamt in German. You are able to request a list from the office of those who are offering childcare services around the city.

You can also check Facebook as there are a couple of groups where you can post your needs, requirements, etc.

 

How much does it cost to hire a Tagesmutter/Tagesvater?

These fees are regulated by the responsible office (Jugendamt). The fees depend on annual family earnings excluding food and additional service costs. That means if you’re having a hard time affording private care at a kindergarten, hiring a Tagesmutter may be a lot more cost-effective for your family.

 

PS: While you’re here, you might find some of these posts from Life in Düsseldorf also interesting:

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