Berlin, August 26 – While the total number of kindergarten-aged children in Berlin is decreasing, certain areas of the city still require additional kindergarten places. This was emphasized by Education and Family Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch (CDU) following the latest Senate meeting on Tuesday. The districts particularly affected by this shortage are Spandau, Neukölln, Treptow-Köpenick, and Marzahn-Hellersdorf.
Construction Boom Fuels Demand in Specific Districts
Senator Günther-Wünsch attributed the localized shortages to significant construction activity in these districts in recent years, which has attracted families with a need for kindergarten places. Conversely, the supply of childcare places is largely sufficient in most other regions of Berlin.
This trend is also a consequence of demographic changes that are expected to continue in the coming years. At the end of 2025, there were approximately 237,400 children under the age of seven across Berlin, which is 23,400 fewer than in 2022. According to current population projections, a further decline to 235,300 children under seven is anticipated by 2030.
Senate Aims to Close Gaps in Provision
Consequently, there is no longer a city-wide demand for additional kindergarten places. The Senate’s approved Kindergarten Development Plan until 2031 now focuses on closing the gaps in underserved areas of the city.
Compared to previous years, the search for a kindergarten place has become significantly easier, according to Günther-Wünsch. “In the past, families sometimes had to register for a kindergarten place even when they were pregnant,” the Senator noted.
“We are increasingly seeing a situation where parents can look at various kindergartens with different profiles and concepts and actually have a choice in large parts of the city where they send their children to kindergarten.”
No Surplus of Kindergarten Places
However, the CDU politician stressed that the impression should not be given that there are superfluous kindergarten places. Instead, even more children who are not currently in kindergarten should gain access to early childhood education and support in the future. “My goal is for every child to have spent at least one to one and a half years in a kindergarten before attending primary school,” the Education Senator stated.
In the medium term, a lower demand for places is expected. By the end of the kindergarten year 2030/2031, the Education and Family Administration anticipates a need for approximately 172,000 childcare places. At the end of 2025, around 190,400 places were available across Berlin.
Source: Berliner Abendblatt
