Youth Policy in the Oberbergischer Kreis: The Youth Welfare Committee in March 2026 in Focus

Constitution and New Leadership Structure

On March 12, 2026, the constitutive meeting of the Youth Welfare Committee took place at the Hohenzollernbad in Gummersbach. Following the previous chairperson, Mr. Lukas Miebach, who had stepped down after being elected Mayor of the municipality of Engelskirchen, the vice-chairperson, Mr. Eberhard Weber, assumed leadership. New leadership roles were filled during the meeting: Christian Lammerich was elected as secretary, and Nick Grahnert as deputy secretary. Furthermore, the swearing-in and appointment of voting members, including independent providers and advisory members, took place in accordance with the applicable regulations. These steps mark the beginning of a new term of office for the Youth Welfare Committee within the legislative period 2025–2030.

Care Planning for the 2026/2027 Kindergarten Year

A central discussion point was the planning of childcare places for the 2026/2027 kindergarten year. The committee decided to update the "Demand Plan for Day Care for Children 2026" and determined which group forms and care hours would be offered in the facilities. The focus was on ensuring coverage rates across the nine municipalities of the Oberbergischer Kreis. U3 places (places for children under three years of age) are to be prioritized for children under three years, with deviations in justified cases requiring documentation. The allocation of places is largely complete, and the financial implications of the plan amount to 70 million euros for the fiscal year 2026/2027.

Support for plusKITAs: Continuation of Funding

Another central topic was the distribution of state subsidies for plusKITAs. These facilities receive additional funding as they care for a high proportion of children with special support needs – particularly in the area of language support. The committee decided to continue the recognition and forwarding of state funds to existing plusKITAs. The subsidy per facility amounts to 37,902.29 euros for the 2026/2027 kindergarten year. In total, the Oberbergischer Kreis receives 606,436.64 euros in state funds. The list of supported facilities includes 16 child day care centers in various municipalities within the district, such as the DRK Kindertagesstätte "Henry-Dunant" in Marienheide or the Kath. Kindertagesstätte "Arche" in Morsbach.

This funding also entails pedagogical requirements: Each plusKITA must employ an additional social educational specialist with at least 50% staff share who can demonstrate experience in integrated daily language education. The administration supports the continuation of the funding, although the renewal rate for the next kindergarten year is still pending.

Outlook and Challenges

March 2026 marks a key phase in youth policy in the Oberbergischer Kreis. With the reconstitution of the Youth Welfare Committee and the determination of care plans for the upcoming year, the foundation for a forward-looking child and youth care system is being laid. At the same time, the financial sustainability of the measures, particularly in the area of plusKITAs, remains a topic that must be monitored in the coming months. The challenge lies in meeting the increasing demands in the areas of language support and inclusion with limited resources.