Costs

14. What do parents have to pay?

Share of operating costs

According to § 14 of the Saxon Law on Day Care and Promotion Facilities for Children (SächsKitaG), »... the operating costs for child day care facilities are covered by subsidies from the Free State of Saxony, funding granted by public welfare providers and municipal authorities, contributions from parents and other revenues. The operating costs are derived from the average personnel and material costs, calculated separately for nursery, kindergarten and after-school care centre.«

In the case of personal child care, the City of Dresden is able, under specific circumstances, to reimburse the expenses incurred by a child minder, including relevant education costs. Corresponding stipulations are contained in the Guideline of the City of Dresden on the Promotion of Children in Personal Day Care dated 10th July 2003, as published in the official gazette of the City of Dresden on 24th July 2003. The contributions which parents pay to the City of Dresden are included in such reimbursements.

Schedule of contributions

The contributions which parents are required to pay for all personal child care places and places in child day care facilities within the framework of the official demand planning are laid down in the current statutes of the City of Dresden on the collection of contributions for child day care facilities and personal day care (»Schedule of contributions for child day care facilities and personal day care«) dated 29th June 2006. The statutes were published in the official gazette of the City of Dresden on 13th July 2006. According to these provisions, parents are required to bear between approx. 23 and 30 per cent of the operating costs. As the costs for child care are in part tax-deductible, parents are recommended to keep all receipts for payments made as evidence for the tax authorities.

Variable contributions

The actual amount of the contribution payable is dependent not least on the form of care to be provided. The operating costs for a nursery place, for example, are necessarily higher than for a kindergarten or after-school centre, because each teacher is responsible for fewer children. The duration of care is also of decisive influence for the contribution due. Parents decide themselves, how much time their children are to spend at the day care facility or with a child minder. The contribution to be paid is then variable in accordance with the chosen number of hours.

If several children of one family attend a day care facility or child minder in the City of Dresden, then reduced parent contributions apply. The statutes also define further circumstances under which parents may be entitled to a reduction or even full waiving of their contribution.

The contribution due is determined by either the Contributions Office of the Child Day Care Agency for Dresden or the responsible welfare provider and is notified to the parents in writing. Parents entitled to contribution reductions or exemptions can submit a corresponding application to the Contributions Office, irrespective of the applicable welfare provider. Applications must be accompanied by appropriate proof of the declared income, and in the case of an independent welfare provider by the corresponding care and supervision contract.

Costs of meals

The child day care centres in Dresden offer midday meals from a variety of different sources. The meals may be delivered pre-cooked in insulated transport boxes, or else prepared directly from frozen or fresh ingredients. Organisation is the responsibility of the welfare provider of the facility, who passes the costs charged by the supplier on to the parents. Parents who wish their children to receive a midday meal in the day care centre should contact the centre concerned for information on the meal supplier and the arising costs.

The municipal child day care agency of the City of Dresden involves the parents of children attending municipal day care facilities in its regular selection procedures for meals suppliers. Families receiving social assistance benefits (not synonymous with unemployment assistance!) and »Dresden Pass« holders can apply to the Contributions Office for an entitlement to subsidised meals for their children, irrespective of the welfare provider.

Where children are placed in personal care, the parents pay the costs for meals directly to the child minder.

Statutes and the current schedules of costs can be found in the Online City Hall section of the City of Dresden Internet site.

Contact

Child Day Care Agency for Dresden
Contributions Office Beitragsstelle

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Visitor address

Dr.-Külz-Ring 19
01067 Dresden

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Phone +49-(0)351-4885055

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Postal address

Postfach 12 00 20
01001 Dresden