Childcare services are constantly facing new challenges. Consequently, there was considerable interest from the approximately 230 participants at the 7th Brandenburg Childcare Conference, which was organised by the law firm DOMBERT Rechtsanwälte in collaboration with the Institute for Local Government Studies (KWI) at the University of Potsdam on 8 October 2026.

The focus was on three key challenges: the planned reform of childcare funding in the state of Brandenburg; the impact of falling child numbers on the occupancy rates and funding of childcare centres; and the implementation of the entitlement to all-day care for primary school-age children, which comes into force in August 2026. The planned reorganisation of childcare funding, in particular, was the subject of intense discussion. It became clear that numerous questions remain unanswered. Both independent and local authority providers face the task of adapting to the impending changes and developing viable solutions for the funding and organisation of childcare. The falling number of children also raises new questions regarding the utilisation of facilities and the long-term safeguarding of care provision that meets actual needs.

„We are delighted with the excellent response. The Brandenburg Childcare Conference has become an important event for all those involved in childcare in Brandenburg,“ says Dr Beate Schule zu Sodingen, a lawyer. The Brandenburg Day Care Conference offers representatives from the field, administration, academia and the legal sector a platform for professional exchange on current developments and the legal framework governing childcare. The event helps to identify outstanding issues, bring together different perspectives and provide impetus for the further development of childcare in Brandenburg.