A daycare center is a place where children are cared for together and can play and learn together in order to develop well. The language and origin of the children can be very different. The focus is on the education and upbringing of the children. The children are looked after by trained adults.

There are day care centers for very young children up to school children.

Daycare facilities can be run by various organizations, for example churches, associations, parents' initiatives, private individuals or the city of Erlangen.

Crèche: Childcare for children under the age of three; group size approx. 12 children

Kindergarten: childcare for children from the age of three until they start school; group size approx. 25 children

After-school care: childcare for school children in first to fourth grade

Houses for children: Childcare for at least two age groups, such as crèche and kindergarten age or kindergarten and school age or all three types of childcare together in one facility

Child day care: childcare with a childminder for children up to three years of age

You can register your child for all municipal daycare centers and for most daycare centers run by independent providers in Erlangen via the Kitafinder portal (submit childcare requests):kitafinder.erlangen.de

Once you have registered, you can submit childcare requests to several daycare centers in the Kitafinder, both to the daycare centers of the city of Erlangen and to the church or private daycare centers. The previous pre-registration form for municipal daycare centers will no longer be available from the end of May. Registration for the vast majority of church or private daycare centers will then also take place via the Kitafinder online portal.

Please check the Kitafinder in the profile of the respective facility to find out whether registration via the Kitafinder is possible. If not, please contact the facility directly regarding registration.

If you have submitted a childcare inquiry via the Kitafinder, you can make changes to your family details in the Kitafinder using the "pencil" symbol on the childcare enquiries/waiting list entries. You can change personal data in the respective Care tab, Personal data - Child, Personal data - 1st contractual partner.

Switch to the "Care" tab to change details such as priority, care time, etc.

All children from the age of one are entitled to a childcare place. This can be fulfilled with various forms of childcare. Every child who lives in Erlangen has the legal entitlement

The legal entitlement applies to all daycare centers within a reasonable distance of your place of residence. The legal entitlement to a childcare place does not mean that you are entitled to a specific daycare center of your choice.

A place may be possible at many facilities in Erlangen and not just at a daycare center in the immediate vicinity of your place of residence.

Every child should have a childcare place. There are over a hundred childcare facilities in Erlangen for children of different ages and run by different organizations.

Unfortunately, there are currently not enough daycare places. To ensure that the places in the city's daycare centers are well distributed, there are municipal daycare center statutes. This regulates the allocation of places and helps to ensure a fair distribution.

City of Erlangen daycare center statutes

The city of Erlangen has been building new daycare centers for years so that all children in Erlangen can have a place.

Every child should have a place at a daycare center. However, as there are more children than places available, the places must be allocated fairly. Various criteria help with this:

• If both parents or single parents work or are in training
• If a child and their family need support, for example to learn to speak German well or have special developmental needs in order to develop well.
• If a sibling is already attending the facility

Sometimes you have to wait longer for a place at a daycare center.

A place may be possible at many facilities in Erlangen and not just at a daycare center in the immediate vicinity.

There is a new registration process for daycare centers in Erlangen. The "Kitafinder" online portal was launched on 17.06.2024. Once you have registered, you can submit childcare requests to several daycare centers in the Kitafinder, both to the daycare centers of the city of Erlangen and to the church or private daycare centers. You will then receive an offer of a place or a rejection via the Kitafinder portal.

If one of the requested daycare centers has free places, it can make you an offer and will usually also invite you to an introductory interview.

If you have further questions about Kitafinder and the new regulations, you can find more information here: FAQ Kitafinder.

The daycare center fee varies depending on the daycare center and childcare hours. Lunch costs extra.

The fees for the municipal daycare centers can be found in the fee regulations.

Daycare centers - Fee regulations of the city of Erlangen

If you are on a low income, the fees can be covered. You are welcome to submit an application:

Application for the assumption of childcare costs (erlangen.de)

Application form

Daycare places can be allocated throughout the year. There are always changes. Even if a place is canceled by a facility, it may still be possible to move up.

You will receive an e-mail when all places have been allocated. If you still want a place and wish to remain on the waiting list, you must reply to this e-mail. The deadline for this is stated in the e-mail. Free daycare places will be published on the homepage at short notice.

Free places

The opening hours can be found on the homepage of the daycare center.
The opening hours of a municipal daycare center are generally from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. Some daycare centers are also open longer.
Municipal after-school care centers or learning rooms are usually open until 5.00 pm.

If you have any questions, you can contact the City Youth Welfare Office on 0 91 31/ 86-1958 (available by telephone from Monday to Thursday from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and Monday and Thursday from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm) or send an e-mail to

e-mail

For pedagogical questions that directly concern a facility, please contact the facility management directly by telephone or e-mail.

Are you worried about your child's development?

Are you looking for help after your child has been diagnosed with a developmental disorder?

An integrative place in a daycare center should provide your child with targeted support and promote social integration within the group. There are special support services for children on an integrative place.

The integrative specialist service of the municipal daycare facilities offers specialist service hours and parent meetings, advises on all questions relating to an integrative place and supports teams on the topic of inclusion.

You can find detailed information about the inclusive place and the inclusive specialist service here.