Do you have children and want to work? No problem. Berlin has a variety of options for daily childcare. A nursery spot is guaranteed for children who have a legal entitlement or a recognised need for care. All children under three years of age have a needs-based right to external childcare.
The opening hours of children’s facilities in Berlin are based on the jobs of the parents and will impress you with a large offer of all-day childcare spots. There are around 2,416 childcare centres in Berlin. The great thing about this: The three nursery years before starting school are free of charge. Around 90 percent of all childcare options include lunchtime care.
OUR TIP
You can use the Nursery Navigator and the Nursery Map to search for nurseries by street, name, postcode and area. Try it out now!
An overview of the types of childcare in Berlin
Child day care centres (nurseries)
- Children from 8 weeks to 3 years (crèche)
- Children from 3 years until schooling (nursery)
- Parent supported day care centres (EKT)
Child day care
- Care provided by childminders
- Children up to 3 years of age
- Children from 3 years until schooling (child day care centres)
- Childcare for school children (child minders)
Company-supported childcare
- In-house child day care facility (or in cooperation with other companies)
- Child care in emergency situations
Reliable half-day primary school
Free teaching and supervision phases from 7.30 am to 1.30 pm
Open all-day primary school
- Early supervision from 6 am to 7.30 am
- Afternoon supervision from 1.30 pm to 4 pm
- Late supervision from 4 pm to 6 pm
- School holiday supervision
- Participation in the offer is dependent on proof of a need for care and is subject to a fee depending on income.
Compulsory all-day primary school
- Free teaching and supervision times from 8 am to 4 pm
- additional supervision before and after lessons
- Participation in the offer is dependent on proof of a need for care and is subject to a fee depending on income.
OUR TIP
If you are a mother or father and have questions about the school system, nursery registration or other matters, then you will find the right person to contact in the infoPunkt am Alexanderplatz. You will receive advice in German, English, French or Spanish.
OUR TIP
Are you looking for support in taking care of your children in day-to-day life, for example during doctor’s or other important appointments, to recover from being ill or just for two hours if you want to go to the cinema, a concert or the theatre? Does your job mean you need to rely on childcare during the school holidays? How about a hired grandmother or grandfather? Find out more now!
Hired grandparents in Berlin
Child allowance (Kindergeld) in Berlin: Government
Parents living in Germany receive a child allowance for each child. The child allowance is a government service for parents or guardians, and offers financial support for a child’s upbringing. The amount depends on the child’s age and is paid directly to the parents (one parent per child). You can apply for child allowance with the responsible Familienkasse (family benefits department). The allowance is also received from there. The current monthly child allowance is:
| Number of children | Amount of child allowance per child |
|---|---|
| for the first and second child | €204 |
| for the third child | €210 |
| for every subsequent child | €235 |
For how long is child allowance paid?
Child allowance is usually paid
- for all children until their 18th birthday
- for children doing an apprenticeship until their 25th birthday
- for unemployed children until their 21st birthday
Who pays child allowance?
Public service employees receive their child allowance from the ‘Landesfamilienkasse’ (state family benefits department), and everyone else from the local ‘Familienkassen’ in Berlin-Mitte, Berlin-Nord and Berlin-Süd.
More about child allowance in Berlin (German only)
Familienkassen (family benefits departments) in Berlin
New in Berlin: Co-working with a child
Combining work and childcare involves a new concept that has been launched for the first time in Berlin’s Friedrichshain district. The team of Work'n'Kid supports parents who work remotely by offering workplaces and childcare places in one spacious concept. This way, the grown-ups can work in a concentrated environment while the little ones are cared for in a pedagogical way. Win-win!
