Family day care in Berlin-Schöneberg – since 1985

In Berlin, family day care is free of charge for all children. For lunch, parents pay a meal cost contribution of 23 euros per month; with a valid berlinpass-BuT it is waived. For care you need a Kita voucher (Kita-Gutschein) from the youth welfare office (Jugendamt) of your district. From the first birthday, children are entitled to up to seven hours of care per day without a needs assessment; in the first year of life, need must be demonstrated. You can apply for the voucher at the earliest nine months before care begins and should submit it at least two months in advance.

As of October 2026. Source: State of Berlin, Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family (opens in a new tab). Please check there for the current rules.

In everyday German, people often say “Tagesmutter” (childminder). Officially, we are recognised early-years educators in family day care: we look after a small group of up to 10 children in a family atmosphere and are publicly funded through the youth welfare office. We are not a Kita (daycare centre) in the classical sense.

Full guide

We take children from birth and accompany them until they start school. This usually gives us an age-mixed group in which the children learn from one another.

We accompany children from settling-in until they start school. A change at age three, for example to a Kita, is not compulsory with us: if you wish, your child stays in the same group with familiar caregivers.

We design the settling-in period in close coordination with the parents, tailored to their needs and to the individual needs of the child. Four weeks are planned; if your child needs longer, we take the time they need.

Full guide

We always cook fresh. There is breakfast, lunch and an afternoon meal with fresh fruit and vegetables. We naturally take allergies and intolerances into account.

We are here for the children Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm. Please bring your child by 9.00 am so that we can start the day together. You can read how a day with us goes in our concept.

Our group has a maximum of 10 children. They are looked after by two experienced, recognised early-years educators, Suzanne Busch and Jennifer Köster, who work together and cover for each other in case of illness. You can read more about us in the concept.

Please hand in nappies for your child regularly, plus a complete set of spare clothes for the season. Your child should be dressed for the weather and the season, with suitable headwear; in summer please apply sunscreen in the morning. Your child gets breakfast, lunch and an afternoon meal with us.

In the case of contagious diseases such as scarlet fever, whooping cough or chickenpox, your child may not attend under the German Infection Protection Act. After a fever, your child must be fever-free for 24 hours; after diarrhoea or vomiting, symptom-free for 48 hours. You can report sickness by email or phone until 9.00 am. If a child falls ill during the day, we call you so that the child can be picked up quickly. More on this in the Concept.

Then we cover for each other. If a longer absence should ever occur, we look for a solution together with you that meets your child’s care needs.

Yes. From the age of 5 we offer pre-school activities with quiet work, pre-writing exercises, numbers, letters and board games to prepare for school. For each child we also document development with BeoKiz, Berlin’s method for observation and documentation, in a portfolio that your child receives at the end of the care period. In the last year before school we discuss the learning documentation for the transition to primary school with you. More on this in the Concept.

We set closing times and holidays at the latest in December of the previous year and announce them in writing. Training days are announced at least four weeks in advance. We are closed on public holidays in Berlin.

Without pressure and only with the child’s involvement: the child helps decide between nappy and potty. Two children’s toilets and two children’s washbasins make potty training easier, and we respect the children’s privacy, for example when changing nappies and on the toilet.

Language is encouraged by talking along, singing and reading aloud, in everyday life and in morning circle with singing, dancing, making music and storytelling. It does not matter to us which language a child speaks or where they come from.

We stay calm even in stressful situations and treat every child with respect and appreciation. If a child behaves inappropriately, a good relationship helps them stop and learn better ways. If a child has harmed another, we help them make amends. We do not use exclusionary punishments, and there is never violence or physical punishment with us.

We shape the rest period from 12 to 2 pm by age: the younger children go to the sleeping room for their nap; from the 4th year there is a quiet time with books and stories instead, and from the 5th year pre-school activities. If your child no longer wants to sleep earlier, we will discuss it with you.

Yes, very gladly. We particularly like to take the very youngest, and the youth welfare office also expects us to do so. We prefer to give free places to children aged 0 to 2.5 years; older children are welcome too, though.

We work lovingly and consistently. This way the children experience stable and reliable care in which they can lean on us.

If your child moves to us from another care setting, a four-week settling-in period is usually not necessary. Getting to know each other over a few days is usually enough.

This is how switching to us works:

1. Termination: You cancel your place at your current setting. A notice period of four weeks to the end of the month usually applies there.
2. Visit to us: You visit us at the setting, and we conclude the agreement on the basis of your Kita voucher. For this we mainly need the voucher number. The voucher also shows its validity and the hours of care.
3. Validity: If the voucher has expired, you will need a new one.
4. Youth welfare office: We send the agreement to the youth welfare office, which then sends you the contract.
5. Start: After that, care can begin on the planned start date.

How to apply for the Kita voucher is explained in the guide to the Kita voucher.

At drop-off and pick-up we have a short hand-over conversation about your child each time. We are available at any time for questions and coordination. We hold detailed parent meetings and parents’ evenings as needed.

We are in Berlin-Schöneberg, Kärntener Straße 29, on the corner of Fritz-Reuter-Straße. It is about five minutes on foot to S+U Innsbrucker Platz (S41, S42, S46, U4) and about six minutes to S-Bahnhof Schöneberg (S1, S41, S42, S46). Both stations have lifts, so you can easily get to us with a pushchair. Several bus lines stop nearby on Hauptstraße. You will find all details on the page Directions.

Depending on current occupancy, it can take anything from a few days to several months until a place can be taken up. After we receive a place request, we usually get back to you within 24 hours and invite you to visit, so that you can get an impression of us, our work and our rooms in person. If we are a good match and you hold a valid Kita voucher, you present it to us. You conclude the care contract with the youth welfare office of the district in which our family day care is located (Tempelhof-Schöneberg). Once the contract is in place, care can start on time on the agreed date.