SEARCHING FOR A NURSERY PLACE

The best thing to do is to look for a nursery near you.

30 minutes by bus & train is a reasonable distance.

Get information about the nurseries. For example here:

• Nursery finder
• Google Maps

• Websites of the nursery providers (e.g. Elbkinder, AWO, DRK etc.)

Talk to other parents about your choice.

Our checklist will help you with that.

Apply for a nursery place in good time – at least 1 year before the start date.

Call the nursery or write an e-mail.

Sometimes there is a form on the nursery’s website.

Make an appointment to get to know each other.

It helps if you present the nursery voucher or the application.

If you like the nursery, you can register your child.

If the nursery does not currently have a place, you can put your child on a list.

This list is called the prospect list, waiting list or preregistration list.

This list includes all parents who would like to have a place at the nursery.

This list may look like this:

This form is not a confirmation yet. You have to keep looking.

If you don’t hear from the nursery, ask again.

Register your child with several nurseries.

Sometimes it is difficult to find a nursery place.

Then your district administration will provide further assistance.

The competent department is called ”Nursery Department”.

You can ask for help if

• You have a valid nursery voucher.
• Childcare is likely to start within the next 3 months (Your voucher indicates the start date of childcare).

Here is what you need to do:

• Write 5 refusals on this form.

• Make an appointment with your district administration or send the form by post.

The district administration looks for free places.

Families must also continue to search on their own.

If you are offered a place, you may refuse a place.

After two places are offered, the nursery department will no longer provide help.

This procedure is also called Nursery place verification procedure.