Childcare - waiver of the parental contribution

Have you received confirmation of a childcare place for your child? Then you will probably also want to know whether you have to pay parental contributions for the childcare place. Contact your local youth welfare office in good time to find out whether they charge parental contributions, how much they may be and which assessment basis applies for the contribution amount. This information can be found in the local parental contribution regulations. If you receive unemployment benefit II or social benefit, social assistance, housing benefit, asylum benefits or child supplement, you will be exempt from paying parental contributions for the months in which you receive these benefits.

Text last updated: 2024-06-28

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Simply explained

After you have concluded a childcare contract with a childminder or childcare facility, the amount of your parental contribution is determined by the respective local youth welfare authority (districts, independent cities, cities belonging to the district with their own youth welfare office), i.e. the youth welfare offices.

Upon application, parental contributions can be waived by the local youth welfare organization (youth welfare office) if you cannot reasonably be expected to bear the burden (Section 90 (4) SGB VIII).

If you receive unemployment benefit II or social benefit according to SGB II, social assistance according to SGB XII, housing benefit according to the Housing Benefit Act, benefits according to the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act or child supplement according to the Federal Child Benefit Act, you can be exempted from parental contributions for the months in which you receive these benefits. This also applies if you receive economic educational assistance benefits for your children in accordance with Section 27 (2) SGB VIII.

The contribution is also waived if you cannot reasonably be expected to bear the burden (§ 90 SGB VIII). This is only possible in certain individual cases and by submitting a separate application.

The last two kindergarten years before starting school are generally free of charge (§ 50 Paragraph 1 KiBiz). Children who have reached the age of four by September 30 are free of charge from the start of the kindergarten year beginning in the same calendar year until they start school. The kindergarten year always begins on August 1 of each year.

Good to know

  • There are no special regulations for early enrolment or children who are deferred from school enrolment.
    • In addition to the parental contributions, the provider of the childcare facility and the childminder can charge an appropriate fee for meals.In some municipalities and cities, sibling discounts are applied when calculating the parental contribution.

What I need

In addition to the application, you will need income documents (e.g. tax statements and salary statements, alimony, BAföG, sickness benefit, ...) and proof of receipt of a social benefit.

In order to be exempt from parental contributions, the financial requirements must be met. These must be proven in a suitable manner. If social benefits are received, proof of receipt of the benefit is also required.

In addition to your proof of income, a childcare contract with a childcare facility or a childminder must be submitted.

That's how long it takes

The processing time depends on when all the required documents are available.

This must be observed

Please note the submission deadlines of the local youth welfare office.