November 20th is World Children’s Day – an opportunity for Family and Education State Councilor Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister to take stock of the results of the expansion of childcare as part of the “blue-yellow childcare offensive” in Lower Austria. The largest family policy initiative in the history of Lower Austria was launched in autumn 2022. As of January 1, 2023, the funding rate for construction investments by municipalities was increased from 27 percent to almost 50 percent. This is intended to support the municipalities responsible for childcare in carrying out their tasks. “The expansion of childcare as part of the ‘blue-yellow childcare offensive’ is a major effort by the federal government, the state of Lower Austria and the municipalities. It is very gratifying that we have strong partners at our side in the communities for our children and families. I would like to thank the mayors and their political and administrative teams for this great commitment,” said Family Regional Councilor Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister.
In total, since January 1, 2023, as part of the “blue-yellow care offensive”, the Lower Austrian School and Kindergarten Fund has made decisions to support 418 groups with a project volume of around 246 million euros, which the state of Lower Austria has provided with over 120 million euros Interest subsidies are supported. The municipalities’ projects concern new construction, conversions and additions as well as modernization of kindergartens and day care facilities. In total, around 615 new kindergarten groups and 250 new day care facility groups will be created by the end of 2027. The state of Lower Austria and the municipalities are jointly investing 750 million euros to expand childcare by 2027. In addition to the structural measures, the money also flows into the ongoing operation of the kindergartens and day care facilities as well as the elementary teachers who are made available to the communities by the state of Lower Austria. “In order to be prepared for future personnel requirements, more educators have been accepted into the state service in the past two years than were currently necessary,” said Teschl-Hofmeister.
The regional councilor further explains: “Since September 2024, 249 new kindergarten groups and 32 day care facility groups have gone into operation throughout Lower Austria. Overall, 93% of municipalities have already made it possible for the first two-year-olds to have places in a kindergarten or day care facility by September 2024, although the offensive runs until the end of 2027. In no other federal state has the childcare offering been expanded to such an extent in recent months as here in Lower Austria. These investments not only create high-quality care places, they also drive the regional construction industry and thereby secure jobs.”
The first successes of the “blue-yellow support offensive” are reflected, among other things, in the improvement of VIF conformity. If you look at the care rates in VIF-compliant facilities in the district broken down into age groups, there is an increase for zero to two year olds from 31.3 percent in 2018 to 62.3 percent in 2023. For three to five year olds this results an increase from 20 to 52.9 percent in the same period. “The numbers from the recently published daycare center statistics are very encouraging. The intention of the blue-yellow childcare offensive is to promote real freedom of choice and compatibility of family and work for parents and legal guardians. Since 2023, the statutory closing days during the summer holidays have been reduced from three to one week, and at the same time, free institutional child care in the morning from kindergarten has been expanded to include small children in day care facilities. A better care ratio leads to more individual care for our children. I am pleased that the current figures show that the measures that have already been implemented are bearing fruit and are being very well received,” said Teschl-Hofmeister.
The Lower Austria results are also satisfactory in relation to the Austria-wide average: When it comes to attendance rates for children under three, Lower Austria is 36.3 percent, above the Austrian average of 34.9 percent. If you look at the attendance rates by individual year, Lower Austria leads the federal state comparison with the highest care rates in the categories of two-year-olds (78.7 percent), three-year-olds (97.2 percent) and four-year-olds (99.0 percent). “These figures underline the efforts of the state of Lower Austria and its municipalities to ensure a good network of childcare options throughout the country,” says the family regional councilor.
Further information: Office LR Teschl-Hofmeister, Mag. (FH) Dieter Kraus, press spokesman, telephone: 02742/9005-12655, email dieter.kraus@noel.gv.at