The reasons are complex, will the consequences be felt soon? Fewer and fewer children are being born in Germany. This will likely lead to a decrease in demand for kindergartens and schools. Parents warn against reacting too quickly.
Von Maziar Bazi, tagesschau.de
Germany is running out of offspring. The birth rate fell last year to its lowest level since 1997. On average, there are 1.32 children per woman, and this figure has been steadily decreasing since 2022.
For Katarina Spies, director of the Federal Institute for Demographic Research (BiB), this development did not come as a surprise. One reason is demographic changes. The population is aging, which means there are fewer people of the typical age to start a family.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, every second resident of Germany is now over 45 years old, and every fifth is even over 66 years old. But this in itself does not explain the decline in fertility.
Concerns about the future and the desire to have children.
“Wars, economic uncertainty, inflation and other stresses mean that many people are indecisive and worried about their future. This can lead them to delay their desire to have children or not pursue it at all,” says Spiess.
She cites research from the institute that shows the population actually wants more children than are ultimately born. “It’s not just the number of births, but also why children’s existing wishes are often not realized,” says Spiess.
Parental leave will have to be reduced
One factor in this decision: the general conditions for parents. Federal parental representation for children in kindergartens (bevki) demands, among other things, nationwide free child care and long-term guaranteed funding. The goal is to ease the financial burden on families and improve work-family compatibility, the council explains. tagesschau.de With. Caregivers, in particular, play a crucial role in parents’ decisions to ensure that children and family and work remain compatible.
The federal states currently regulate fees for attending kindergarten. In countries like North Rhine-Westphalia, the amount is determined by municipalities: depending on where you live and your income, the highest earners can charge fees of up to €1,000 per month per child, according to Bevka.
When it comes to financial planning, parents also have to adapt to new changes: according to the federal government’s plans, the duration of parental benefit is to be reduced in the future from 14 to twelve months. At the same time, the minimum amount will increase from the current 300 to 330 euros, and the maximum – from 1800 to 1900 euros. To receive this right in full, future fathers will be required to take at least three months of parental leave.
What does fertility mean for kindergartens?
If low birth rates continue, care services are likely to be affected as well. “We as a society will feel the consequences in the coming years – for example through a drop in demand for places in kindergartens and then in schools,” says BiB director Spiess.
However, the bevki warn against drawing too hasty conclusions. “Some daycare centers are already closing, childcare services are being cut and skilled workers are being laid off. If personnel are lost, it will only be possible to get them back later with great effort.”