According to a study by the Bertelsmann Foundation, there is still a clear shortage of daycare places in Rhineland-Palatinate. In order to cover the needs of parents to look after their children in the coming year, up to 26,500 additional places would probably have to be created, according to calculations by the Bertelsmann Foundation on early childhood education systems published on Thursday.

"The figures show that Rhineland-Palatinate will not be able to redeem the federal legal entitlement to a place in day care for every child whose parents have a need by 2023," said the foundation in Gütersloh. The biggest hurdle is still the shortage of skilled workers.

The need for care for children under the age of three in particular clearly exceeds the supply. According to the study, in order to be able to offer enough daycare places, 6,700 caregivers would have to be hired, which would result in additional personnel costs of almost 291 million euros a year. The operating and possible construction costs would be added.

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