The advance hints have come true: In Upper Austria, childcare in a toddler room will be free for 30 hours a week (i.e. from morning to 1 p.m.), the state leadership announced on Monday. A better combination of family and work is one of the reasons for this.
“The next big step towards the goal of Kinderland No. 1 will come in the fall of 2024,” LH Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) opened the press conference on Monday during lunch with his deputies Christine Haberlander (ÖVP) and Manfred Haimbuchner (FPÖ): 30 hours per week free Also in the crèche, this now means a uniform system of premium-free care for morning care up to compulsory education. The standardization also makes afternoon care in the crèche (from 1 p.m.) cheaper, with a spread contribution from 23 to 119 euros.
A reinforcement for the business location
“We hope to contribute to the freedom of choice of families and to a better balance between family and work,” says Stelzer. This should make it easier for companies to attract new employees with childcare responsibilities, while at the same time strengthening Upper Austria as a business location.
A long preparation time
Why the long preparation time with the start only on September 1, 2024? The new scheme must be adopted as a legislative amendment by the state parliament, because the state of Upper Austria must compensate daycare providers – especially the municipalities – for the loss of income, for which approximately 10 million euros has been reserved. Secondly, these providers also need a certain amount of preparation time, especially because a larger number of people can be expected to go to daycare centers due to the exemption from contributions.
The demand is already high
This planning certainty is also emphasized by LH Vice President Christine Haberlander, who also provides an overview of the figures: Currently, 7,500 children are staying in Upper Austria’s nurseries, of which there are 406 locations with 779 groups. That’s 53 new groups compared to the previous kindergarten year, with another 75 currently planned. “The demand is actually high,” says Haberlander.
The family representative is also happy
LH Vice Manfred Haimbuchner, as family representative for the state government of Upper Austria, is pleased with the new freedom of contributions. He continues: “With free childcare in the morning, we ensure that, on the one hand, the financial pressure on families with children is reduced and, on the other hand, that families do not have to choose between fulfilling their professional obligations and their children.”
Chamber of Commerce reacts happily
Immediate praise comes from the Upper Austrian Chamber of Commerce: the free crèches are an important step towards a better balance between family and work. “A well-functioning and well-developed childcare facility is a top priority in times of acute labor shortages and skilled labor shortages,” emphasizes WKOÖ President Doris Hummer.
The quality must also be right!
“In addition to expanding the number of childcare places, the quality of early childhood education must be guaranteed, as primary educational institutions, in addition to the family, are the first places of education for children,” added Margit Angerlehner, state president of Woman in Business.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
