Research Findings: High Prevalence of Institutions in Heidelberg and Ulm
In a comprehensive survey conducted by the Cologne Institute of Economic Research (IW) and the Max Planck Institute for Social Research (MPIfG), it has been revealed that the availability of Kindergartens (Kitas) in affluent neighbourhoods in Germany's 54 largest cities tends to be better than in poorer ones.
The study found that there are about a third more Kitas in affluent neighbourhoods than in precarious ones. This disparity is primarily due to social and economic disparities reflected in demand, funding, and local infrastructure. Families in wealthier areas usually have more resources and social capital, which can influence the establishment and quality of Kitas.
The survey results also indicate a disparity in service between affluent and poorer neighbourhoods. Confessional Kitas serve affluent neighbourhoods about 20 percent better than the city average, while the poorest areas are 13 percent less well served. This trend is also observed in services provided by other non-profit providers.
The cities in question are the 54 largest cities in Germany, including several in North Rhine-Westphalia such as Krefeld (166 children), Gelsenkirchen (165), Duisburg (159), Essen (154), and Oberhausen (133), which are poorly served.
Heidelberg and Ulm, cities in Baden-Württemberg, have the best ratio of accessible Kitas to children in the preschool age group, with 61 children in Heidelberg and 71 in Ulm. Frankfurt am Main came in third with 72 children in the preschool age group per accessible facility.
This phenomenon aligns with broader observations in German education, where social background impacts access and integration. For example, children from working-class or poorer families might face challenges in accessing advanced education tracks like Gymnasium partly due to social integration and linguistic environment factors already evident from kindergarten age. Such socioeconomic differences translate also into childcare access disparities, with wealthier neighbourhoods attracting more and better resourced Kitas.
It is important to note that the survey was specific to North Rhine-Westphalian cities and not conducted in all cities in Germany. The report states that there are about a third more Kitas in affluent neighbourhoods than in precarious ones, suggesting that this trend may not be universal across all cities in Germany.
In conclusion, the better availability of Kindergartens in affluent neighbourhoods reflects social inequalities influencing educational infrastructure, parental engagement, and local resource allocation in North Rhine-Westphalia cities. The survey results offer a valuable insight into the disparities in service provision in Germany's largest cities and highlight the need for policies to address these inequalities.
[1] Source: German Institute for International Educational Research (DIPF), 2018.
- The survey revealed that there is a disparity in Kindergarten (Kita) availability between affluent and poorer neighborhoods, with economic and social policy having a significant impact due to differences in demand, funding, and local infrastructure.
- The study findings also suggest that the quality of services in health-and-wellness, education-and-self-development sectors, such as Kindergartens, can be influenced by economic and social disparities, highlighting the need for policy initiatives that address these inequalities.
