Children from the age of 1 until they start school can have a Daycare center (Kita) or a Childminder visit. There, the children play, learn German and make friends.

 

How do I find a daycare place?

You must register your child on the Little Bird portal:

KiTa-Portal Cologne Little Bird

 

Do you need support?

The family office can be contacted on all topics relating to finding a daycare place and registration. The family office offers advice in several languages.

Family Office - City of Cologne

 

 

How does the City of Cologne decide which children are assigned a spot in a municipal daycare center?

The decision depends on

• how many seats are available,
• whether the child will still be with the older sibling for at least three months

attends daycare,

• when you registered your child (application date),
• how many hours of care you need and are available at the daycare center.

The City of Cologne will first look for a spot at the daycare centers you selected on Little-Bird

have selected.

 

What happens if there's no space available there?

You will then receive an offer for a spot at another municipal daycare center.

This daycare center is

• no more than 5 kilometers from your home, or
• Reachable by bus or train in 30 minutes or less.

This applies to children who are younger or older than 3 years old.

 

What happens if your child is younger than 3 years old and does not have a municipal

Will I get a spot in daycare?

You will then receive a letter from the City of Cologne. This is a partial rejection. A partial rejection means that the City of Cologne is still looking for a spot for your child. If the City of Cologne finds a spot for your child later, it will send you a letter. Unfortunately, the City of Cologne cannot say when that will be. To ensure your child still receives care until then, you can register your child for child day care (child care provider, grandparent-led day care).

 

Information on registering for child care:

 

Please fill out the application for child day care.

Application for Child Day Care

 

Please send the application to:

Child Day Care Contact Center

Venloer Straße 47–53, 50672 Cologne

Or by email to: kontakt@kindertagespflege-koeln.de

 

If you have any questions about child day care, you can contact the Child Day Care Contact Center at this number: 0221 9139270.

Here is an overview of child care spots in Cologne:

Overview of Child Day Care in Cologne

 

What happens once you've enrolled your child in daycare?

The contact office will write to you. You will receive either an email or a letter from the contact office. The contact office will let you know which childcare providers (childcare providers, grandparent-led daycare) are available. You can sign a childcare agreement with the provider you choose.

 

If necessary: Change the date in Little Bird

In Little-Bird, you can change the date starting from which you need a daycare spot for your child. This date should be after the end of your childcare contract with a caregiver. Otherwise, you will continue to receive an offer for a daycare spot. If you then decline this offer, you’ll be assigned a new application date and will have to wait longer for a daycare spot.

 

What happens if your child is older than 3 and can't get a spot in daycare?

Starting on their third birthday, your child is entitled to a spot in daycare. This means that the City of Cologne will first look for a spot in the daycare centers you selected on Little Bird. If there are no openings at the daycare centers you selected in Little Bird, you will receive an offer for a spot at another city-run daycare center.

 

Have you also enrolled your child in daycare centers run by private providers?

Private providers decide for themselves which children are offered a spot in daycare. They use their own criteria to make these decisions. If you have any further questions, please contact the respective daycare center operated by the private provider directly.

 

When is your child eligible for childcare?

Starting on your child’s first birthday, you are entitled to childcare for your child. This can be provided through family day care (day care provider, grandparent-run day care) or at a daycare center operated by a private provider. Starting on your child’s third birthday, your child is entitled to a spot in a municipal daycare center or at a privately operated facility.

Important:

Please register your child at least 6 months before the desired start date for childcare.

 

Can you change the start date for childcare at Little Bird?

Yes. The daycare year always begins on August 1. That’s when most spots become available. You can change the desired start date for care at municipal daycare centers. Your application date will remain the same. You will not face any disadvantages as a result of these changes. If you want to change the start date for care at a privately operated daycare center, you must do so in Little Bird.

 

What happens if you accept a spot at a municipal daycare center?

Once the City of Cologne has found a spot, it will reserve that spot for your child. You will then receive a letter from the City of Cologne. This is the reservation notice (confirmation). The letter will specify which daycare center is offering the spot and the deadline by which you must contact the daycare center. If you do not contact the daycare center by this deadline, you will lose the spot for your child.

You will receive only one acceptance notice. This means that the City of Cologne will not offer you any additional daycare spots, and you will not be able to make any changes to your information in Little Bird. All other applications will be automatically deactivated in Little Bird. This applies to your applications for both municipal daycare centers and those operated by private providers.

 

What happens if you turn down a spot at a municipal daycare center?

You have registered your child at several daycare centers in Little-Bird. However, you will only receive one offer for a spot. If you decline the offered spot, you will need to re-register your child for all municipal daycare centers in Little-Bird.

Nevertheless, the City of Cologne has fulfilled its obligation to provide care with this offer. You will then be given a new registration date. This means that you will have to wait for a spot again.