Apply as early as possible — even during pregnancy. System varies by city.
From the first birthday until school, every child in Germany has a legal right to a place in a Kita or with a childminder (Kindertagespflege). Before the first birthday, a place is guaranteed if you work, study or are looking for work. (§ 24 SGB VIII)
Start early
Pregnancy → Register your need → Visit Kitas → Place from age 1
In many cities there are fewer places than children. Start looking during pregnancy or in the first months after the birth, even if you want a place only at age 1 or later.
How it works
The system differs by city. Common models:
- Central online portal of the city where you register and choose Kitas.
- Kita voucher (Kita-Gutschein), for example in Berlin and Hamburg: you get the voucher from the Jugendamt and take it to the Kita.
- Direct application to each Kita.
Your local Jugendamt or city website explains the rules. Visit several Kitas and ask about care hours, group size and settling-in.
Childminder (Tagesmutter/Tagesvater)
Childcare with a childminder is called Kindertagespflege. It is officially recognised and counts the same as a Kita place for your legal right to childcare. It is used mostly for children under 3.
- Group size: one childminder looks after up to 5 children. In a Kita, children are in larger groups with several educators.
- Where: usually in the childminder's own home, sometimes in your home or in rented rooms. In some states up to 3 childminders work together (Großtagespflege).
- Who: childminders are mostly self-employed. They need a permit from the Jugendamt, which checks their suitability, training and rooms. Kita staff are trained educators employed by the Kita.
- Hours: often more flexible than a Kita, which suits shift work or irregular hours.
- Costs: you do not pay the childminder directly. You pay a parental contribution to the Jugendamt, similar to Kita fees.
- How to find one: ask your Jugendamt or a local Kindertagespflege association; they arrange places.
More: Familienportal: What is Kindertagespflege? · Federal guide for parents (PDF) · Parent information in several languages (German sources).
Fees
Fees are set by the federal states and cities. In some states Kita is fully or partly free; elsewhere fees depend on income. Ask the Jugendamt whether you can get help with the costs.
Before the first day
- Measles vaccination: proof is required (§ 20 IfSG).
- Doctor’s note: Many Kitas also want a doctor’s confirmation of the last U-check and vaccination advice.
- Settling-in (Eingewöhnung): plan 2–4 weeks in which a parent stays with the child at first.
No place offered?
The Jugendamt must offer you a suitable place: with the care hours you need and reachable in reasonable time from home or work. You cannot insist on one particular Kita, and the right does not mean the place is free of charge (Federal Administrative Court, 2017).
Written request → Written answer → Challenge it → Claim costs
- Register your need in writing, early: Send the Jugendamt a written request with the start date and the hours you need, and keep a copy. Many federal states set a notice period of several months, so ask your Jugendamt about the deadline.
- If you get no place, insist on a written answer: You can challenge it. In urgent cases you can apply to the administrative court (Verwaltungsgericht) for an emergency order.
- Paid for a private place yourself? If you told the Jugendamt in time and the need was urgent, you can claim the extra costs back (Federal Administrative Court, 2013).
- Could not go back to work? Parents can claim lost earnings from the city as damages (Federal Court of Justice, 20 Oct 2016, III ZR 278/15).
Who can help
- The Jugendamt itself: many have a Kita placement or advice office. Start there.
- A lawyer for administrative law (Fachanwalt für Verwaltungsrecht). With a low income you can get Beratungshilfe: a voucher from your local court (Amtsgericht) for legal advice at a small fee (§ 1 BerHG).
- Legal expenses insurance, if you have one, may cover the costs.
Sources