Care for disabled children: care services

Why care for disabled children?

In the case of children with disabilities in particular, parents carefully consider whether they should be cared for by a babysitter or other outsider. This is especially true if the child is also quite small. But there are many reasons for parents and children who speak in favor of early care in a day care center or with a childminder :

• Parents also have a right to personal development. Focusing on caring for children can lead to social and emotional isolation for parents.
• For many families, double income is an economic necessity.
• Children with disabilities need contact with other children, especially non-disabled children, in order to develop positively. Social stimulation from other children helps them in their development.

In our special on childcare for children under the age of three, you can get an overview of the various childcare options:

Find good care for disabled children

• Care offers: The care offers can differ from federal state to federal state. It is therefore best to first inquire at the Ministry of Education in your country about current offers: Homepage of the Conference of Ministers of Education . As a rule, you have to look for a kindergarten or other facility that is willing and able to accept your child. However, your local youth welfare office can advise you on this and support you. Here you will find a database with youth welfare offices.
• Inform about financial help: The care of disabled children is supported by the state. It is co-financed by means of youth welfare and social welfare. Your responsible social welfare office should be able to provide you with further information on this. The ministries of education also offer an initial overview.
• Have your disability confirmed: Before you can apply for integration assistance, it must first be diagnosed that your child has a disability.
• Apply for financial help: If you have found a kindergarten and your child’s disability has been confirmed, you can apply to the responsible district/social administration. They check and confirm it. A subsidy is granted for special care needs. If the kindergarten is not yet certified as integrative, it can apply for flat rates for additional staff and, if necessary, structural measures. You can find more information in the kindergarten law of your federal state.

Care for disabled children under the age of three

Many federal states and municipalities offer the following childcare options for children under the age of three:

• Mixed- age kindergartens: Some kindergartens offer mixed-age groups or even groups only for children of crèche age. It is best to inquire locally whether a kindergarten offers such a mixed concept.
• Nurseries: Nurseries are facilities that care for and support disabled and non-disabled children under the age of three. Some crèches also offer all-day care.
• Toddler groups: Toddler groups are set up privately by parents and take place in their own or privately rented rooms. Usually, parents and children under the age of three attend these groups to encourage social contact. In some toddler groups, the parents organize themselves in such a way that it is possible to look after their own child by the hour in the morning.
• Supervised playgroups: Like the toddler groups, playgroups are set up as a private commitment by parents and also take place in their own or privately rented rooms. Supervised play groups are primarily intended for two to three-year-olds in preparation for kindergarten and enable you to look after your child by the hour.
• Childminders: A childminder takes care of your child at your home. You can look for a suitable childminder privately or get help from the authorities in your city, such as the youth welfare office.

Care for disabled children from the age of three

Not every federal state offers the same integrative care options within the framework of kindergartens, also known as day-care centers in many federal states. The offer is usually based on the country-specific, local conditions and the current needs and wishes of the parents. The following offers around the kindergarten enable the integration of disabled children in particular:

• Additive kindergartens: Kindergartens in which special and regular kindergartens work together as two independent institutions under one roof are referred to as additive kindergartens.
• Individual integration into a regular kindergarten or day-care center: Individual integration into a regular kindergarten or day-care center means accepting and supporting children with disabilities in a regular kindergarten in your area. However, these are isolated cases and not the norm when children with disabilities are admitted here.
• Integrative groups in regular kindergartens: Integrative groups in regular kindergartens allow several children with disabilities to be cared for together with non-disabled children in a classic kindergarten.
• Integrative groups in special kindergartens: This involves the integration of able-bodied children in special kindergartens.
• Integrative kindergartens: In an integrative kindergarten, the joint care of children with and without disabilities is encouraged throughout all groups.
• Cooperative kindergartens: Cooperative kindergartens are cooperations between groups from special and regular kindergartens, so that disabled and non-disabled children can play and have fun together at times.
• Special kindergartens: Only children with disabilities and special needs are cared for in special kindergartens.
• School kindergartens: These are pre-school institutions that look after children who are not yet of school age. Some of these school kindergartens are directly connected to various types of special schools and can optimally prepare and support your child for everyday school life. School kindergartens can be an alternative to the classic kindergarten.