The German ECEC system in comparative perspective: insights and policy lessons

Since the early 2000s (West) Germany has considerably expanded its early childhood education and care (ECEC) services, moving from being one of the laggards in Europe to having provision not too dissimilar to that of some Nordic countries. This paper examines the German case from a comparative perspective, pointing to the distinctive factors underpinning the past expansion and reflecting on the challenges ahead. Beside conspicuous initial public spending, ECEC growth was enabled by two factors. 
First, the relative uniformity of organisational forms and occupational categories – with ECEC offered most commonly by educators (Erzieher:in) in centre-based provision. 
Second, the prevalence of part-time employment among mothers. By contrasting examples from other countries, the paper argues how these same two factors risk hinder further expansion, ultimately hampering gender equality.  Moreover, and similarly to other countries, Germany needs to solve the tension  between ECEC places’ availability, affordability and quality. 
As stark geographical variations hamstring one-size-fits-all solutions, it becomes increasingly difficult to steer policy from the federal level. Instead, ECEC policies need to be based on more granular knowledge of at very local level – in terms of demographic dynamics, labour market opportunities, and families’ needs and preferences. Examples from other countries illustrate how local administrations can develop the capacity to design and implement effective local policy solutions. Overall, the paper offers a nuanced picture of the German ECEC system by taking stock of the policy developments of the last two decades and drawing on examples from other countries. 

Referentin:
Ludovica Gambaro holds an international academic background in Economics, Public Administration, and Social Policy, with research focusing on social and family policy, education, and labor market inequalities. After research positions in London, Berlin, New York, and Tübingen, she has been a Research Fellow at the Federal Institute for Population Research in Wiesbaden since 2022.