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In Germany, families are given special consideration in the German constitution, the Grundgesetz.
Families benefit from numerous family-oriented regulations, such as tax benefits for married couples and child support.
For every child, the government pays an allowance of EUR 154 per month for each of the first three children, and EUR 179 per month for every additional child. In higher-income families, it may be worthwhile to take advantage of the child allowance instead of other child benefits.
Since 2007, parents have been able to file for parental leave and receive 67 percent of their net income (up to a maximum of EUR 1800 per month) as a parental allowance from the government for a duration of up to 14 months. For information on special regulations for pregnant employees, please refer to our chapter Employees and Social Security.
In Germany, every child between the age of 3 and 6 has a legal claim to a place in a kindergarten.
Kindergartens, childcare centers, and crèches are mainly run by the municipalities, churches, and charitable organizations, but also by companies and associations. Parents contribute to childcare costs with an earnings-related payment. In addition, parents receive tax benefits for childcare costs.
The number of international or bilingual kindergartens is increasing, particularly in larger urban centers. The Association for Multilingual Childcare Institutions and Schools (Verein für Mehrsprachigkeit an Kindertageseinrichtungen und Schulen e.V.) provides an overview of bilingual kindergartens in Germany.
Information on Multilingual Kindergartens
For children aged three and over, North Rhine-Westphalia has a dense network of day centers. The centers are operated by the municipalities, churches or independent operators such as parents' initiatives or associations with a particular educational orientation. Kindergartens and day centers are regarded as pre-school educational institutions where children learn how to express themselves in keeping with their age, to understand their environment, and to enter into social interaction.
In larger cities there are also bilingual or international kindergartens such as a Japanese kindergarten in Düsseldorf.
Facilities for children under the age of three are currently being significantly expanded up to 2013 in order make it easier for young parents to reconcile family and profession. At the same time, towns, cities and communities train child minders so that they can provide qualified care for children under the age of three.
Family Centers
Many day care centers for children have now developed into family centers, offering parents advice and support in matters relating to the health, development and upbringing of their children in addition to child care. Furthermore, care times for children of pre-school and school age are to be increased.
More information is available at:
weiterführende/zusätzliche Infos