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Introduction to the education system in Germany It is not compulsory for young children to go to kindergarten (starting at the age of three – anybody younger can attend the crèche) or preschool. However, being in a German-speaking environment from an earlyage will help your child to learn German. This will ensure constant learning and will be very useful for them if you plan to stay in Germany for a while. Futhermore, there are some multi-lingual establishments as well, but unfortunately these are private institutions and so charge fees. State day care centers (or Kindertagesstätte, KiTa) also charge fees, but these are much lower as the state pays the lion’s share. In case you need to bring your child to work at CISPA, you can find KidsBoxes for your child to play with. Every child over the age of 3 is entitled to a place in a kindergarten. This means that the municipality (which is responsible for day care provision) is legally obliged to offer every child between thea ges of 3 and 6 registered in that municipality a space in a kindergarten , but, this place can be far away from your home. Children under the age of 3 are entitled to day care if the parents work, are in full-time education, or if it is judged beneficial to the child’s welfare that it goes to day care. Very young children (age 0–3) can go to a crèche (Kinderkrippe), which most day care centers have. Older children (3 and above) attend Kindergarten, which offers pre-school education in the final year (age 5 or 6). Most children start school when they are 6 years old, 7 at the latest. Day care for very young children Parents can choose what kind of day care they would like for their young child(ren). Some of the factors worth considering are the distance from home/workplace, opening times and the overall concept of the crèche or day care institution. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of places, and that means long waiting lists. You should register for the crèche of your choice via the kindergarten that it is attached to. One alternative to day care centers are childminders or day nannies (Tagesmutter and Tagesvater). The childminders usually care for up to 5 children in their own homes, are officially certified and charge a daily rate that is partly subsidized by the municipality. You can expect costs between 250,- and 500,- Euro per month. CHILD CARER You can get some help by professional and qualified child carers. Of course, child carers also support you when your kid is too young for kindergarten. Saarbruecken helps you to find childcarers: Servicestelle Kinderbetreuung und Kindertagespflege Försterstraße 36 66111 Saarbruecken +49 681 8308626 info@service-kinderbetreuung.de Furthermore, you can find a so-called Kita-planer here. The kita navigator is covering St. Ingbert and surroundings. To increase your chances to find a place in a kita you can sign in on both lists. Kindergarten There are many types of Kindergarten (plural: Kindergärten) in Germany: municipal, private, bilingual, international etc. Municipal Kindergärten are generally less expensive than the private ones, but that does not necessarily mean they offer less. The chances of getting a place in the kindergarten of your choice are usually higher in August or September (when the older children move on to elementary school) than they are at the beginning of the calendar year, for example. It is nonetheless a good idea to register yourchild(ren) in a kindergarten as early as possible. Opening times depend on the type of kindergarten; children can usually be dropped off between 6a.m. and 9a.m. and picked up again between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Meals are provided by a catering service; organized by the kindergarten.