All Primary First-Graders Gain Legal Right to All-Day Care from August 2026

Starting from August 2026, all first-graders in Germany will have a legal right to an all-day place. This entitlement will be extended to the remaining primary school years in subsequent years, so that from the 2029/2030 school year, all children from first to fourth grade will be entitled to a place in all-day childcare.

The Challenge Ahead

According to the Bertelsmann Foundation, several tens of thousands of additional teachers and up to 100,000 additional pedagogical specialists are needed, with this challenge particularly acute in western Germany. An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 additional all-day places need to be created at primary schools to gradually meet demand by 2029, and there is a massive shortage of space at most primary schools, as the premises need to be both expanded and renovated.

For expat families, this is a watershed moment. If you have a child entering first grade (Klasse 1) in August 2026 or later, you are now legally entitled to after-school childcare—a lifeline for working parents navigating the German school system. However, availability may be patchy depending on your Bundesland (state) and city. Contact your local Schulamt (school authority) early to understand what your child's school can actually provide, as many institutions are still catching up to the legal requirement.

Sources

• Bundesregierung — All-day care at primary schools to be expanded
• SDUI — The law on all-day support for children of primary school age