Andernach and the Implementation of the Right to Full-Day Care – Focus on February 2026

Andernach and the Implementation of the Right to Full-Day Support

The city of Andernach has taken a decisive step in February 2026 toward implementing the right to full-day support for children of primary school age. With the implementation of the Full-Day Support Act (GanztagsföG) in the 2026/2027 period, the city, as the local provider of public youth welfare, is obligated to ensure the care of children in grades 1 to 4, regardless of whether they are enrolled in half-day or full-day schools.

Care Models and Structural Development

Andernach primarily relies on two care models: full-day schools (GTS) and supporting elementary schools (BGS). Full-day schools offer a free, school-based care service with fixed hours, while the BGS is a municipal, fee-based care model mainly used in half-day schools.

Full-Day Schools (GTS)

Full-day schools in Andernach provide care from 07:00 to 16:00. In the future, the GTS-Plus offer will also be introduced at selected locations, particularly on Fridays, providing lunchtime care until 15:00. These models are primarily intended for children enrolled in full-day schools and are designed to fulfill the legal requirement.

Supporting Elementary Schools (BGS)

The BGS is a municipal care model with a focus on social pedagogy. It complements school-based care hours through early care (07:00–08:00) and lunchtime care (12:00–15:00). The BGS is offered at half-day schools and is fee-based. Parental contributions for the BGS currently amount to 63.00 € per month, while the GTS-Plus offer is significantly cheaper at 25.00 € per month.

In addition, the city has decided to gradually phase out the existing after-school care program at Eich Primary School, as it will be replaced by the BGS in the future. However, existing contracts will remain valid until their expiration.

Financing and Cost Development

The implementation of the right to full-day support is financially demanding. Andernach finances its care offerings through parental contributions, state subsidies, and municipal grants. The cost calculation includes personnel costs, material costs, and administrative costs.

Parental Contributions

Contributions are tiered and depend on the number of care hours and the number of children in the family. For the BGS at half-day schools, 63.00 € per month is charged, while the GTS-Plus offer costs 25.00 € per month. The summer program costs 152.00 € per week, and municipal grants can help alleviate the burden for low-income families.

State Subsidies

The city receives subsidies from the federal program for child care (BuT), which primarily supports families with low incomes. For example, 15 € per child and month is allocated for the summer program to cushion social hardship cases.

Cost Development

In the 2025/2026 period, the total costs of the BGS amounted to 381,910.19 €. Parental contributions have continuously increased: from 13 € in 2020 to 40 € in 2025. The cost of summer care in 2025 was 73,489.59 €, with 488 children participating in the summer holidays.

Challenges and Perspectives

Staff and Space Shortages

The implementation of the right to full-day care also presents staffing and space challenges. Some schools lack the resources to fully cover care hours, and there are concerns about the feasibility of additional care offerings. The establishment of a care group is only permissible with a minimum of eight children, which can lead to shortages in some cases.

Competition Between Models

Another issue is the potential competition between full-day schools and municipal care models. Andernach has therefore decided to offer either a full-day school or a BGS per school in the future to avoid overlaps.

Communication and Transparency

The city of Andernach emphasizes the need for clear and comprehensive information policy. Parents are informed about care models, costs, and structures through flyers, websites, parent evenings, and personal counseling. An explicit annual needs assessment is not carried out, and planning is based on actual enrollments.

Conclusion and Outlook

The implementation of the right to full-day support is a central milestone in Andernach's child and youth policy. The deadline for implementation is February 5, 2026, and the city has already taken initial measures to cover the legal requirement starting with the school year 2026/2027.

In the long term, Andernach will need to ensure that care models are flexible enough to adapt to changing care needs in a timely manner. At the same time, the financial burden on parents must be reduced to ensure broad utilization of the care offerings.