Image: APA
From a child age of 2.5 years, childcare in Upper Austria is free of charge for parents in both crèches and kindergartens until 1 p.m. In the future, children under two and a half years of age will also be able to spend the morning in playrooms free of charge. The OÖN had already reported on the state government’s corresponding considerations at the end of September.
Today, Monday, State Governor Thomas Stelzer, the responsible LH deputy Christine Haberlander (both VP) and LH deputy Manfred Haimbuchner will reportedly announce the measure in a press conference. The municipalities should not incur any additional costs from the project.
The date from which the fee exemption will apply will be announced today. A start in autumn 2024, i.e. with the kindergarten year 2024/25, is considered likely (also from an administrative point of view).
The exemption from contributions will be another measure to increase the childcare rate in Upper Austria. Upper Austria does not shine when compared to other countries, especially when it comes to children under three. According to Statistics Austria, in the 2022/23 kindergarten year, Upper Austria was in second to last place with a rate of 20.8 percent. Styria comes last (19.9 percent).
The responsible LH deputy, Haberlander, has recently repeatedly admitted that Upper Austria needs to catch up – and emphasized that an “expansion offensive” is underway. Among other things, she referred to the “Kinderland Upper Austria” package of measures presented at the end of 2022 with a volume of 38.5 million euros.
There are currently completely free kindergartens and playrooms (both in the morning and in the afternoon) in Vienna (since 2009), in Burgenland (since 2019) and in Carinthia (since this year).
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Source: Nachrichten
