Germany Grants Legal Right to All-Day Childcare for Primary Schoolchildren
Starting with the 2026/27 school year, German law now guarantees all-day childcare access for children entering first grade, expanding by one year annually until all Years 1–4 are covered by 2029/30.
Germany has introduced a groundbreaking legal entitlement to all-day childcare and supervised activities for primary schoolchildren, beginning this month with the new school year. The Ganztagsförderungsgesetz (All-Day Care Promotion Act) aims to significantly expand access to after-school care nationwide.
The reform rolls out in stages. First-year primary pupils (age 6–7) gain the statutory right starting August 2026, with coverage expanding by one additional grade each year. By the 2029/30 school year, all children in Years 1 through 4 will have a legal entitlement to all-day provision.
Key Goals
- Enable more parents to balance full-time work with family responsibilities
- Ensure supervised care and enrichment activities beyond regular school hours
- Reduce childcare costs and accessibility barriers
- Support educational development through structured afternoon programmes
For expat families and foreign-resident parents in Germany, this is a significant shift. If your child is entering primary school this autumn, check your local Grundschule (primary school) and municipality for available programmes, as implementation varies by region. The new right does not automatically mean unlimited free provision—costs and availability still depend on your Bundesland (state) and local council.
Sources
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