Moving to Germany with children requires more planning than finding an apartment and registering at a school.
For many international families, one of the biggest practical questions is:
Who will look after the child when school finishes but the parents are still at work?
This is particularly important in Germany because traditional primary-school days can be shorter than many newcomers expect. Lessons may finish around midday, while a normal working day may continue until late afternoon.
From 1 August 2026, Germany introduced an important new legal entitlement. Children entering first grade now have a right to all-day education and care.
The entitlement is intended to make it easier for parents to combine employment and family life. However, it does not mean every school must provide the same programme or that parents can wait until the first school day before applying.
The new rule in brief
Children beginning first grade in the 2026/27 school year have a legal right to all-day support covering:
- eight hours per day
- five working days per week
- school lessons within those eight hours
- care during most school holidays
- different recognised local models, including all-day schools and after-school centres
The entitlement will be extended gradually until all children in primary-school grades one to four are covered.
The federal legal framework provides for eight hours on five weekdays, with school hours counted toward the total. Holiday coverage is also included, although federal states may permit a closure period of up to four weeks.
Who qualifies for all-day childcare in Germany?
The entitlement is being introduced one grade at a time.
2026/27 school year
Children entering first grade are covered.
2027/28 school year
Children in first and second grades are covered.
2028/29 school year
Children in first, second and third grades are covered.
From 2029/30
Children in all four primary-school grades are covered.
This gradual expansion is important for relocating families.
A child who is already in third or fourth grade in August 2026 does not automatically qualify under the new federal entitlement merely because the child attends a German primary school.
Existing childcare arrangements or state-specific rights may still be available, but parents must check locally.
What does “eight hours per day” mean?
The eight-hour entitlement includes formal school lessons.
For example, imagine that your child’s lessons run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Those four and a half hours count toward the total entitlement.
The remaining period may be provided through:
- an all-day school programme
- a school-based afternoon programme
- a Hort, or after-school childcare centre
- a youth-welfare organisation
- another locally recognised childcare arrangement
It does not necessarily mean that the child will have eight additional hours of childcare after lessons finish.
Parents should ask for the exact opening and collection times rather than relying only on the phrase “all-day school.”
Is all-day care compulsory?
No.
The right creates an option for families. It does not require every child to remain in school or childcare for eight hours.
Parents may choose:
- the full available programme
- fewer hours
- selected weekdays
- family-based care
- another childcare arrangement
Whether parents can book individual days or shorter periods will depend on the local provider and its programme.
Some schools operate an open all-day model, where families have greater choice. Others operate a compulsory or structured all-day model, in which participating children follow a fixed schedule.
What is the difference between Ganztagsschule, Hort and Nachmittagsbetreuung?
Newcomers may encounter several German terms when researching school-age childcare.
Ganztagsschule
A Ganztagsschule is an all-day school.
Classes, meals, homework support and activities may be organised as one integrated programme. However, the exact daily schedule differs between schools.
Offene Ganztagsschule
An open all-day school usually allows parents to register their child for afternoon care in addition to normal lessons.
Participation may be voluntary, although registration can become binding for a particular period.
Gebundene Ganztagsschule
At a compulsory or structured all-day school, the school day is organised around a longer timetable, and attendance during the defined programme may be compulsory for enrolled children.
Hort
A Hort is a separate after-school childcare facility for school-age children.
The child may attend school in the morning and move to the Hort after lessons. Some Horte are located inside or close to a school, while others are in separate buildings.
Nachmittagsbetreuung or Schulkindbetreuung
These are general terms for afternoon or schoolchild care. The programme may be operated by the school, municipality, church, welfare organisation or another approved provider.
The federal framework allows different local delivery models, including Horte as well as open and compulsory all-day schools.
Does registering at a school also register the child for care?
Not necessarily.
This is one of the most important points for international parents.
School registration and childcare registration may be two separate processes.
Depending on the city, parents may need to apply through:
- the school
- a municipal childcare portal
- the local youth-welfare office
- a separate Hort
- an external all-day-care provider
- the organisation operating the school programme
Do not assume that the school-registration form automatically includes afternoon care.
Ask the school to confirm in writing:
- whether a separate application is required;
- which organisation operates the programme;
- the registration deadline;
- whether documents must be submitted through an online portal;
- when the family will receive confirmation.
German youth-welfare authorities are required to inform parents about locally available places and advise them when choosing an appropriate service. State law may also require parents to notify the responsible authority within a defined application period.
Does the right include school holidays?
The entitlement is intended to cover school holidays as well.
However, federal states may allow a closure period of up to four weeks each year. Families therefore need to ask how holiday childcare is organised locally.
Questions to ask include:
- Is care available during every school holiday?
- Which weeks are closed?
- Is holiday care provided at the normal school?
- Will children be sent to a central holiday-care location?
- Is a separate holiday registration required?
- Are excursions or meals charged separately?
- Are the opening hours different during holidays?
This is especially relevant for parents whose annual leave does not match the school-holiday calendar.
Is all-day childcare free?
The legal entitlement does not necessarily mean every related service is completely free.
Depending on the federal state, municipality and provider, families may still pay for:
- lunch
- snacks
- excursions
- special activities
- materials
- extended hours
- holiday programmes
- membership or provider charges
Some municipalities reduce fees according to family income or offer exemptions for eligible families.
Before registering, request a complete written overview of:
- monthly childcare fees
- meal charges
- additional activity costs
- cancellation rules
- notice periods
- fee reductions
- sibling discounts
Why this matters for international families
International families often arrive without grandparents or relatives nearby.
That means they may have no informal backup when:
- lessons finish early
- the child is ill
- the school closes
- a parent has a late meeting
- both parents commute
- one parent works shifts
- school holidays begin
The new entitlement can offer greater planning security, particularly for:
- skilled workers recruited from abroad
- dual-income households
- single parents
- researchers and doctoral candidates
- doctors, nurses and healthcare workers
- employees working shifts
- corporate assignees
- families arriving through reunification
However, the system remains decentralised. The entitlement is federal, but its practical delivery depends on the federal state, municipality, school and childcare provider.
How childcare should influence your housing decision
Families often choose an apartment based primarily on rent and distance to work.
For parents of primary-school children, the school and childcare arrangement should be checked before signing a tenancy agreement.
Important factors include:
- the assigned primary-school catchment area
- distance between home and school
- distance between the school and Hort
- public-transport connections
- safe walking or cycling routes
- morning drop-off time
- afternoon collection time
- availability of holiday care
- the parents’ commuting time
A cheaper apartment outside the city centre may not remain practical if one parent must spend several hours each day travelling between home, school, childcare and work.
A relocation timeline for parents
Before choosing a neighbourhood
Research the local primary schools and school catchment areas.
Three to six months before arrival
Contact the municipality, school authority or youth-welfare office and ask how registration works.
As soon as the school place is known
Apply separately for all-day care if required.
Before signing the childcare contract
Check the hours, fees, holiday arrangements and termination conditions.
Before the first school day
Confirm where the child must go after lessons, who may collect the child and what happens during school holidays.
Families arriving at short notice should contact the municipality immediately rather than waiting for permanent registration or the first day of school.
What documents may be required?
Requirements vary, but families may be asked for:
- the child’s passport or identity document
- birth certificate
- proof of address
- school-registration confirmation
- vaccination records
- parental employment details
- proof of working hours
- custody documents, where relevant
- health-insurance details
- emergency-contact information
- information about allergies or medical conditions
Documents issued outside Germany may need to be translated.
Ask the local authority whether a certified translation is required before paying for one.
What if the preferred school has no place?
The legal entitlement is a right to an appropriate all-day-care arrangement. It does not necessarily guarantee:
- the family’s preferred school
- a particular provider
- a specific educational concept
- care directly beside the family’s home
- identical opening hours in every municipality
If a place is unavailable, parents should contact the responsible youth-welfare authority and request information about alternative arrangements.
Keep copies of:
- applications
- submission confirmations
- emails
- rejection letters
- waiting-list confirmations
- notes of telephone conversations
Families facing a serious dispute should seek qualified local advice rather than relying only on informal information from social-media groups.
Questions parents should ask before enrolling
Ask the school or childcare provider:
- Is this a Ganztagsschule?
- Is the programme open or compulsory?
- Is a separate childcare application required?
- Which organisation operates the afternoon programme?
- What are the exact daily hours?
- Can parents choose individual weekdays?
- Is lunch provided?
- Is homework support included?
- Are extracurricular activities included?
- Is German-language support available?
- How is holiday care organised?
- Which weeks is the facility closed?
- What happens if parents work shifts?
- What are the collection rules?
- What fees must parents pay?
Frequently asked questions
Do all first graders qualify from August 2026?
Children entering first grade in the 2026/27 school year fall within the first stage of the entitlement. It then expands by one grade annually.
Does the law provide eight hours after school?
No. School lessons count toward the eight-hour total.
Is a Ganztagsschule compulsory?
Not in every case. Germany has different all-day-school models. Participation rules depend on the school and programme.
Can parents use the entitlement only on certain days?
That depends on the local provider. Some programmes offer flexible booking, while others require fixed attendance.
Is care available during every holiday?
Holiday care is generally included, but federal states may permit closure for up to four weeks.
Should families apply before moving to Germany?
Families should begin enquiries as early as possible. A final application may require a confirmed address or school place, but early contact can clarify deadlines and documents.
WhyGermany takeaway
From 1 August 2026, children entering first grade in Germany have a legal right to all-day education and care.
But the right does not make every local system identical.
International families should research the school, childcare provider, opening hours, holiday programme and application process before choosing a home or beginning full-time employment.