Comment: This beams us back to the 1960s

Ten years ago, politicians had a really good idea: they created the legal right to childcare after the first birthday. This should help mothers to return to the labor market more easily, because the proportion of women working part-time in Germany is high.

The day-care center made life easier for many parents. But now it’s back to the past: Because there are more small children and at the same time many educators are retiring, there is a lack of staff. Many daycare centers are therefore reducing their opening times.

This sets off a fatal chain:

When the day-care center is closed in the afternoon, mum or dad can’t go to work the way they would like. Then many jobs remain vacant because of the lack of educators. And then there is suddenly a shortage of doctors and nurses working in shifts in the hospitals.

This article comes from BILD am SONNTAG. The ePaper of the entire issue is available here.

One shortage of skilled workers reinforces the other. A downward spiral that is costing Germany dearly.

Politicians overslept the daycare problem. Act at last! The educator profession must be worth much more to us. More wages, better working conditions.

Because it cannot be that women in 2023 are faced with the decision they were in the 1960s:

child or career?