City of Bocholt expands daycare centre capacities

For the kindergarten year 2024/25, 3,321 childcare places are available in Bocholt, spread across 40 daycare centres and supported by daycare. According to statistical forecasts, the demand for childcare will continue to rise in the coming years. The city of Bocholt will therefore continue to increase childcare capacity.

As announced in the most recent Youth Welfare Committee, the city has registered 2,275 childcare places for children over 3 years of age (Ü3) and 712 childcare places for children under 3 years of age (U3) in daycare centres with the state youth welfare office for the current daycare year. There are also 334 places available in daycare centres.

There is currently overcrowding in most centres. Overcrowding is permitted by law and serves to cushion temporary capacity bottlenecks, but should not become a permanent solution.

The need for additional childcare places is particularly evident due to the baby boom in 2020/21 (768 children), which will enter the Ü3 sector in the 2024/25 kindergarten year. In order to meet this development, the city of Bocholt plans to continue to offer overcrowding places, while at the same time pushing ahead with construction measures to create new facilities and expand existing ones.

The following measures have already been implemented or are currently under construction:

• New construction of the St. Michael daycare centre in Suderwick with 3 groups for Ü3 (54) and U3 (12) (opening from 01/09/2023)
• New construction of the CarLo daycare centre in Lowick with 5 groups for over-3s (51) and under-3s (22), including a special facility for children with disabilities (planned opening on 1 August 2024)
• New construction of the Holtwick daycare centre with 5 groups for Ü3 and U3 (11) (planned opening on 1 October 2024)
• Expansion of the St. Helena daycare centre in Barlo by 1.4 groups for Ü3 (13) and U3 (12) (opening planned for 01.03.2024)
• Expansion of the Ratzeköpper daycare centre (TuB) by 2 groups for Ü3 (14) and U3 (16) (opening expected in 2024)
• Plans to set up a forest daycare centre as an additional group Ü3 (20) at the Blumenwiese daycare centre on Heutingsweg

The city expects 8 new groups to open in the 2024/25 kindergarten year

Outlook

The city of Bocholt is also planning further extensive remodelling and expansion measures throughout the city:

• New construction of the Biemenhorst daycare centre with 4 groups for Ü3 (18) and for U3 (14) (relocation of the Waldschlösschen daycare centre to the new building planned for 2025/26)
• New construction of the Weberquartier daycare centre with 5 groups for over-3s (53) and under-3s (12) (relocation of an existing daycare centre to the new building planned for 2026/27)
• New construction of the Loikumer Weg daycare centre with 5 groups for Ü3 (67) and for U3 (28) (planned facility for 2027/28)
• New construction of a centre in Stenern with 5 groups for Ü3 (28) and for U3 (12) (Kita Schatzkiste moving in for 2027/28)
• New construction of KuBAaI Nord with 4 groups for Ü3 (53) and for U3 (22) (planned facility for 2027/28)
• New construction of the Eisenhütte with 5 groups for Ü3 (67) and U3 (28) (planned facility for 2028/29)
• New construction of the KuBAaI Ibena with 3 groups for Ü3 (39) and for U3 (16) (planned facility)
• Expansion of the Blumenwiese daycare centre on Heutingsweg (currently mobile units) for Ü3 (27) and U3 (11) (planned facility)

The list is not exhaustive and is based on the development of demand. A further 26 groups could be created if all planned construction measures are fully realised.

In the area of day care, there are still some childcare places available in the U3 sector due to the development of child numbers. Parallel to the expansion of the daycare centres, the city of Bocholt is also working on increasing daycare capacities.