City of Karlsruhe Proposes Abolishing Family Benefit for Siblings
City Council Meets Tuesday to Discuss Abolition of Sibling Child Subsidy in Karlsruhe Daycare
The upcoming city council meeting on May 27 will focus on the potential abolition of the sibling child subsidy in local daycare facilities, with a decision likely to come into effect as early as September 1, 2025. This information comes from correspondence from the Karlsruhe Parents' Council.
If the city council approves the proposal, it would mark the end of the subsidy, while a new fee regulation will simultaneously take effect. The new regulation commences with the beginning of the kindergarten year, hence the potential change would be implemented from September 1.
According to the Parents' Council, the proposed city decision would impose an extra burden of over 400 euros per child for many families. Currently, the cost for a child (aged 0-3) in full-day care is 441 euros (including meals), while fees for a child aged 3-school age total 300 euros. At present, a discount of 70 euros for the second child and 50 euros for the third is granted for sibling children.
The city council's documents for agenda item 9 are yet to be made public, and it remains unclear what the administration's concrete plans are. The 48 city councillors may either approve or reject the draft resolutions presented by the city administration during the meeting.
Parents are taking action, with the overall parents' council calling for protests. A demonstration is planned before the city council meeting on May 27 at 3 PM. The demonstration is aimed at voicing opposition to the proposed abolition of the sibling child subsidy.
The city hopes to ease its budgetary burden with the move, following the announcement in February that the budget deficit is growing. A budget freeze has been imposed until May, but the future remains uncertain.
Recent increases in fees have made for a challenging year for parents. In September 2024, fee increases took effect, and in January 2025, many facilities reduced their hours of operation. Private providers are also affected by the increases, having appealed to politically responsible parties in February.
Parents have criticized the city's communication policy, citing late publication of agenda items and the cancellation of a planned demonstration in May due to insufficient notice.
- The cancellation of the sibling child subsidy in Karlsruhe daycare, as proposed by the city council, may lead to increased costs in finance for many families, potentially reaching over 400 euros per child.
- Businesses in the education-and-self-development sector, such as private daycare providers, are affected by the recent fee increases in Karlsruhe and have expressed their concerns to politically responsible parties.
