The Christian Social Union (CSU) parliamentary group in the state parliament wants to revise Bavaria’s childcare reform before it comes into force. The background is announced increases in parental contributions. Group leader Klaus Holetschek said on 12 November that changes were needed and should be implemented promptly. No specific new rules have yet been proposed.
Social Affairs Minister Ulrike Scharf announced that she would immediately review the law together with the CSU group. The review will consider possible disadvantages and how local authorities use the additional funds and the existing contribution subsidy. According to Bayerischer Rundfunk, Scharf continues to believe the reform is right in principle.
The Bavarian state parliament passed the reform of the Child Education and Care Act in July 2026 with the support of the CSU and Free Voters. It is due to come into force on 1 January 2027. The main point of contention is a state subsidy that has so far reduced parental contributions for kindergarten children by €100 a month. The funds are still intended to go towards childcare but in future they will no longer be tied to reducing contributions.
Instead, the state plans to increase operating-cost support. Whether and by how much parents receive financial relief will therefore also depend on decisions made by local authorities and providers. They point to high costs and the difficulty of financing childcare. At the same time, families have no guarantee that they will receive the same relief as before.
In Bayreuth According to a report by the Bayreuther Tagblatt, childcare providers in Bayreuth decided in October not to pass the money on to parents. For families paying the full cost, the monthly contribution for a kindergarten child will therefore rise by €100 from January, provided the rest of the contribution schedule remains unchanged. The providers cited higher operating, energy and staffing costs. The parent advisory council opposed the decision.
The coalition partner is also willing to hold talks. The chair of the Free Voters in the state parliament, Florian Streiblannounced, according to Bayerischer Rundfunk, that he would support the CSU in further talks about the law. The Greens reiterated their call for contributions to be based on income. The SPD criticised the reallocation of funds at parents’ expense and called for additional funding for childcare.
It remains unclear, following the announcements, whether and how the state parliament will amend the reform. A return to the previous earmarked subsidy has not been agreed.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).