Full-Day Education Support Act (GaFöG)

The after-school care programs for elementary school-aged children, which supplement school hours, vary from school to school and are tailored to local needs.

Possible options include:

• Reliable Elementary School
• Flexible Afternoon Care
• After-school care and on-site after-school care

For information about the specific care options available at a school and the terms of the agreement, please contact the respective municipalities, cities, or school offices. You can also find information on the respective school’s website.

Check with your municipality or city well in advance to see if your child’s elementary school offers the care you need.

With the approval of the Bundesrat, the Bundestag passed the Act on Full-Day Support for Children of Elementary School Age (Ganztagsförderungsgesetz—GaFöG), which took effect on October 12, 2021. The law provides for the phased introduction of a right to full-day care at a daycare facility for elementary school children starting in the 2026–2027 school year.

This entitlement applies on all five weekdays for eight hours per day and is directed at the locally responsible public youth welfare agency. It is considered fulfilled during the hours of instruction as well as during the programs offered by all-day elementary schools, including open all-day elementary schools.

The care services provided by municipal or independent organizations (such as parent-teacher associations or churches) for schoolchildren complement school operations as well as the services offered by after-school care centers. Personnel authority, funding, and operational responsibility lie with the respective provider, while the organizational link to the school is the shared responsibility of the provider and the school.

According to the School Act, parents or guardians must register their children’s eligibility for after-school care by March 15 of each year for the entire upcoming school year. As part of this registration process, legal guardians must decide whether and in what form they require full-day care for their child beyond the hours of school instruction and other mandatory school programs.

The application for care or pre-registration is submitted through the municipality of residence. The municipality of residence or the school authority is also responsible for students at Special Education and Counseling Centers (SBBZ).

Submitting a request does not guarantee automatic approval of the requested care. A corresponding care agreement must be concluded before the start of the new school year.

School-age childcare services outside of school hours are subject to a fee. The respective fee amounts are determined by the municipalities themselves in their capacity as school authorities.

Legal guardians can submit an application for a subsidy toward school-age childcare costs under Section 408, “Funding for Child Day Care,”in accordance with the Full-Day Education Act.