The financing of high-quality childcare, questions about the new Brandenburg Child and Youth Act and all-day childcare from 2026 are highly topical issues that concern those responsible in the state of Brandenburg. The interest in the 6th daycare centre symposium was correspondingly high. The organisers, DOMBERT Rechtsanwälte and the Municipal Science Institute (KWI) of the University of Potsdam, welcomed more than 250 participants from local authorities, districts and independent providers to the all-day face-to-face event on 13 March 2025 in Potsdam. The inadequate funding of child daycare centres and the increasing administrative burden were the main topics of discussion. The providers called for less bureaucracy and more digitalisation. Without sustainable solutions and new legal regulations, the quality of early childhood education and care in Brandenburg could not be secured in the long term. The unsuccessful cancellation of the legal reform of daycare centres, which was launched by the state of Brandenburg in 2021, was also regretted.

It also became clear during the discussion that there are still many unanswered questions surrounding the legal entitlement to all-day childcare for children of primary school age from 2026, which poses further challenges for both independent and municipal providers. Over the next few years, a great deal of effort will therefore be required to ensure adequate funding for child daycare for local authority and independent providers; political decisions are now needed that meet the needs of children, families, but also professionals and providers.