New daycare fee model in Oberursel: Parents are concerned!

New daycare fee model in Oberursel: Parents are concerned!

Oberursel, Deutschland - A hotly discussed topic in Oberursel is the introduction of income-dependent daycare fees. Social director Andreas Bernhardt has now presented a model that will in future adapt the fees to the parents' income situation. As reports fnp, the new fee structure provides for six income levels, which from an annual income of up to 60,000 euros to over 150,000 euros rich.

The model entails various increases in the fees that can be between 0 and 400 euros, while in some cases even lowering is possible. In order to secure the urban budget in the long term, however, the introduction should not take place in August, as originally planned, but probably only on January 1, 2026.

Details on the fee structure

The income levels listed are complex:

• level 1 (up to 60,000 euros): Fees remain in the basic module (384 euros), 15% increase until 4:30 p.m. (530 euros).
• level 2 (up to 72,000 euros): 8% increase until 2 p.m., 27% until 4 p.m.
• levels 3 and 4 (up to 96,000 and 120,000 euros): increases between 18 and 57%.
• level 5 (up to 150,000 euros) and 6 (above): increases between 100 and 400 euros, with a maximum amount of 870 euros for the highest level.

A special feature is that the basic module for kindergarten (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) remains free of charge. Fees only apply from the seventh hour, which are differentiated after income level. The city costs around 31,000 euros a year, while 14,000 euros are estimated for a kindergarten place.

reactions and concerns

The presentation of the model caused excitement. At the meeting of the Social, Education and Cultural Committee (SBKA) on June 17, 2025, numerous parents were present, who, according to Ul Oberursel, expressed their displeasure with the complicated fee structure and the high income borders. The factions of the CDU, SPD and OBG-Free voters had made the application for the new statutes, but were confronted by the criticism of the parents and the city parents' advisory board. These called for a transparent, simple and fair solution and pointed out the dangers of short -term, hidden fees.

The bureaucracy and the lack of transparency of the new model were among the criticisms. Parents made it clear that children are not luxury goods, but represent the future of society. These perspectives were strongly supported by the Ulo, which also calls for a review of the measures. The dedicated feedback from the parents was seen as important for the future design of the daycare fees.

The legal regulations for the collective by the day of the contribution vary in the federal states, as the Bildungserver shows. In Hesse, kindergarten spaces from the age of three years have been free of charge for six hours a day since August 1, 2018. Parents who receive grants or services according to SGB II are even freed from the fees. The intended income dependency in Oberursel could therefore be perceived as a special case within the federal state.

The discussion about the daycare fees in Oberursel shows that the parents in the city are calling for a say and that careful consideration of interests is necessary to take into account both the financial concerns of the city and the needs of the families.