Child daycare facilities; application for staff approval

Pedagogical specialists are persons with a theoretical and practical training in social pedagogy, which is proven by a domestic or foreign degree at least at the level of a specialized academy.

Supplementary educational staff for the care of children of all age groups, on the other hand, are persons who have completed at least two years of predominantly pedagogical training. In addition, the educational staff must have the German language skills required to fulfill the educational objectives.

The generally recognized professional groups for work as a pedagogical specialist include nursery teachers, childhood educators, social pedagogues and, for work as a supplementary pedagogical worker, child carers.

In addition to these professional qualifications, a general decree (announcement by the Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labor and Social Affairs dated 27.12.2023; Ref. V4/6000.01-1/684) in conjunction with § Section 16 (6) sentence 1 of the Children's Education Ordinance (AVBayKiBiG), the approval to work as a pedagogical specialist or supplementary employee in the sense of funding law. The general ruling is published in the Bavarian Ministerial Gazette.

Persons who do not have a degree that is comparable to the above-mentioned reference professions or whose degree has not been approved by the general ruling, but who can provide evidence of pedagogical qualifications and professional experience in the field of childcare, have the opportunity to apply directly to a provider of a childcare facility and have it checked by the responsible supervisory authority whether their pedagogical qualifications are sufficient to work as a supplementary or even as a specialist. In principle, the provider of a facility is obliged to provide proof that the staff it employs are sufficiently qualified.

The pedagogical supplement or specialist to be hired does not have any of the following qualifications:

• state-approved nursery school teacher
• State-certified childcare worker / state-certified childcare worker
• State-recognized social pedagogue (Diplom/B.A.)
• State-recognized childhood educator (B.A.)
• State-recognized curative educators / curative educators B.A.
• State-recognized curative education nurses / state-recognized curative education nurses
• one of the qualifications listed in No. 1 or No. 3 of the general decree (StMAS announcement dated December 27, 2023; Ref. V4/6000.01-1/684).

The provider of the daycare facility submits the application to the authority responsible for issuing the operating license. If the child day care facility is run by a municipality belonging to the district, the district office is responsible. If the child day care facility is run by a district-free city and the district, the government is responsible.

At the request of the provider of a child daycare facility, the responsible authority checks whether professional suitability as defined by the legal requirements exists and whether a corresponding approval can be granted. Approval is granted on a facility-specific basis, which means that if the facility is changed, approval must be granted again by the competent authority. If the authority confirms the approval for the employment as a specialist or supplementary educational worker, the corresponding employment can take place.

You can check whether the profession or academic training in Bavaria has already been examined and assessed with regard to a pedagogical qualification via the Kita-Berufeliste of the Zentrum Bayern Familie und Soziales (see "Further information"). If the profession or academic training has already been assessed, a positive decision can be expected from the responsible supervisory authority if the assessment of the institution-specific factors is also positive.

If the profession or course of study is not listed, it is advisable to submit an application for an assessment of the professional qualification to the Bavarian State Youth Welfare Office via the locally responsible operating license authority and to find out whether the existing training qualifies the person to work as a specialist or supplementary staff member. The assessment is non-binding. The Bavarian State Youth Welfare Office does not recognize foreign professional qualifications, it only provides information on whether the professional qualification is comparable.

• The following documents are required:
  
  • Copy of personal identification documents (e.g. passport, residence permit, work permit)
  • Certificate of the professional qualification(s) in the original and in German translation
  • Proof of the content of the training (e.g. list of subjects)
  • Curriculum vitae in tabular form (with full details of educational and professional qualifications)
  • Proof of professional activities in the desired occupational field (e.g. work experience or qualified job reference)
  • Proof of your German language skills: Language level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
  • Letters/notifications from other authorities