Kornwestheim: Lateral entrants as a solution to the shortage of daycare specialists

Kornwestheim: Lateral entrants as a solution to the shortage of daycare specialists

The city of Kornwestheim is faced with a significant shortage of skilled workers in the early childhood education sector. In order to meet the challenges in the city's daycare centers, the city administration has been relying on career changers for around two years. This measure, which was previously possible through an exemption, is continued by the new paragraph 11 in the Child Day Care Act (KitaG). This reports Stuttgart News.

A proposal for a structured continuation of this approach was discussed on May 20, 2025 at the Kita Forum in the Das K culture and congress center. A participation-oriented approach was pursued, in which daycare center management, parent representatives and local council groups were involved. The objective is clear: long-term security of needs-based provision in the city's facilities in terms of opening times and space.

Integration of career changers in daycare centers

Career changers are people who work in daycare centers without formal training in early childhood education and are often prepared for their tasks through targeted qualification measures. This measure is being promoted as a possible solution to combat the shortage of skilled workers in early childhood education. Loud Daycare jobs Career changers often bring with them a variety of experiences and perspectives that can enrich the daycare centers.

However, these initiatives are not without challenges. For successful integration, structured training is necessary to ensure that newcomers can adapt to the pedagogical standards and team dynamics. It is also important to provide further training and mentoring programs in order to maintain educational quality at a high level.

Political perspectives and challenges

The political dimension of lateral entry into daycare centers cannot be ignored. A uniform legal basis and financing are supposedly essential in order to secure qualified personnel in the long term. According to regional reports, there are major differences in guidelines between federal states regarding how the use of career changers is regulated. In Berlin and Brandenburg, for example, the shortage of skilled workers is particularly pronounced, which is reflected in large groups and shortened opening hours. According to a study by the Bertelsmann Foundation, the proportion of skilled workers in German daycare centers has fallen in recent years. In Berlin, for example, the proportion of daycare teams with a high skilled worker quota fell from 53% in 2017 to just 35% in 2023 RBB24.

In conclusion, it can be said that lateral entry into the educator profession must be seen as part of a broader strategy to overcome the challenges in the field of early childhood education. It is important to ensure the quality of support while at the same time providing the necessary resources for the training and qualification of career changers.