Parents in Tübingen who want to send their child to a kindergarten must register it there six months in advance. There is a uniform, central registration procedure for both municipal and private facilities. The Central Registration Office for Children (ZAK) checks all registrations and stores them in a database. The ZAK is located at the city’s child day care department. Parents can register their child for kindergarten online or with a paper form. Registrations for childcare with a daycare provider also use this form. Parents must pay for child care. The amount depends on the weekly care time and the parents’ income. Due to staff shortages, Tübingen will reduce childcare hours starting in September. Most facilities will then close at 1:15 or 4:30 pm.
Tübingen will only accept children who live in the city area. Children from the age of one will attend a daycare center, and children from the age of 3 will attend a kindergarten. Some facilities accept children up to one year of age. If such a place is needed, parents must prove the need. With a doctor’s certificate of pregnancy, children can also be enrolled before delivery.
The main round for the allocation of places is between March and May. With the exception of the vacation month of August, children are admitted all year round. Most children enter kindergarten between September and December, as many places become available when children start school. Parents may be given preference because of their work or family situation. However, they must provide proof of this. ZAK has specific forms for each situation (you can find the forms through the link at the end of the text). The forms must be signed and uploaded in the space provided on the application form.
At least four months before the desired admission date, the kindergarten will contact the parents to let them know if they can accept the child. The family then has two weeks to decide. If there are no available places in the desired facility, parents can contact ZAK, which will then look for an alternative place. Even if parents want to send their child to another facility, they can apply for this through ZAK.
Since August 1, 2013, there has been a legal right to a childcare place for children from the age of one.
More information, registration and employment verification forms:
https://www.tuebingen.de/23418.html
https://www.tuebingen.de/23416.html
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Kindergarten in Tübingen. Foto: tünews INTERNATIONAL / Mostafa Elyasian.
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