Decline in birth rates in Bad Belzig: care at risk – what now?

Decline in birth rates in Bad Belzig: care at risk – what now?

In Bad Belzig, the decline in the number of children is causing worrying developments in the care sector. Loud maz-online.de Therefore, a total of six employees of the children's support association “We” have to be withdrawn after it is removed as the provider of the after-school care center at the small primary school in Dippmannsdorf. Teachers, educators, parents and children are visibly affected by this decision. Bad Belzig's mayor Robert Pulz is also critical of the situation and is considering re-municipalization of care in order to ensure quality.

The new austerity constraints in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district made it necessary to realign the care. This is also reflected in the current forecasts: While only 491 children are expected to be looked after at the start of the 2025/26 school year, previously there were 555. In view of this development, the city council is deviating from its approval of the decision and shows a need for clarification. The transition period for changing carriers must also be taken into account.

The concerns of those affected

The situation not only deprives educators of their jobs, but also leaves parents worried about the care of their children. Gitta Wilzer, the educational director of the “We” association, warns of the loss of usual contacts who offer the children security. The association, which was recognized as the first nature park center in Germany, stands between the fronts of decision-makers due to its high level of acceptance. According to Katrin Hertel, also from the “We” association, there is the possibility of taking over the daycare, but this is not without challenges.

Gabriele Stockhoff from “We from the Village/Trade Association” emphasizes the responsibility for city employees. In order to counteract cases of childcare failure, support from educators from the neighboring “Waldwichtel” daycare center is also considered. These effective measures could help ensure a smooth transition.

Overarching trends in the region

In the larger context, Bad Belzig is by no means alone with its care dilemma. How tagesspiegel.de reported, the overall number of daycare children in Berlin is falling - on March 1, 2025 there were around 171,000, which corresponds to a decline of 1.8 percent compared to the previous year. This trend could result in further closures if the daycare centers are no longer permanently full. The care ratio in the U3 area has improved, but the numbers speak for themselves: the number of children looked after also fell significantly here, especially in day care.

The challenges in early childhood care are therefore a widespread problem that must be urgently addressed by the responsible authorities. It remains to be seen how the situation in Bad Belzig and beyond will develop and whether the proposals to remunicipalize care will be fruitful. The concerns of parents and children are rightly the focus of considerations - because there is really a lot at stake here.