Child Decline: These Ideas Could Help Thuringia's Kindergartens - Thuringia reforms kindergarten funding as birth rates plummet to historic lows
Thuringia’s government is set to change the Kindergarten Act to better support small daycare centres. The move comes as declining birth rates put pressure on smaller facilities across the state. Officials warn that even with extra funding, some closures may still happen by 2030. The state recorded a historic birth deficit in 2024, with only 32 babies born each day while 83 people died. This demographic shift has left many kindergartens struggling, particularly in rural areas. Over 21,000 children attend facilities with fewer than 50 pupils, and around 1,500 are in centres with fewer than 21 children.
Education Minister Christian Tischner (CDU) and the governing coalition are proposing financial reforms to help. Their plans include a per-child supplement for smaller kindergartens, aiming to discourage operators from shutting them down. The SPD claims these changes mirror their own proposals from last summer. Other ideas under discussion include merger incentives and a 'branch model', where larger facilities would share staff with smaller ones. The Left Party has pushed for base financing—a fixed minimum amount plus per-child funding—to keep struggling centres open. But Dirk Hoffmeister, an education policy expert for the BSW, admits that funding alone may not stop all closures as birth rates continue to fall. Ultimately, the decision to close a facility remains with its operator, even with extra support.
The amendments aim to ease financial strain on small kindergartens, but demographic trends suggest long-term challenges. With fewer children being born, some centres may still face closure despite the new funding measures. The government’s proposals will now move forward for further debate.
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