From Kita-Gutschein to your child's first Kita day

In Berlin, Kita is free and every child has a right to a Kita place from the age of one. But finding a place takes time. We recommend starting your search at least 9 months before you want your child to start. In popular neighbourhoods it's even better to start right after the birth.

Timeline

1. After the birth or 12 months before the start: Research Kitas and put your name on waiting lists.
2. 9 months before the start: Apply for the Kita-Gutschein. You can't apply earlier than this.
3. 6–8 weeks later: The Kita-Gutschein arrives by post.
4. When a Kita offers you a place: Hand in the Gutschein and sign the care contract (Betreuungsvertrag).
5. Before the start: Get the measles vaccination proof and other documents ready.
6. First 2–4 weeks: Settling-in period (Eingewöhnung). Plan for not being able to work full time during this period.

The most common mistake: Waiting for the Gutschein to arrive before starting to look for a Kita. Do both in parallel.

Applying for the Kita-Gutschein

The Kita-Gutschein is the official document that shows how many hours of care per day your child is entitled to. Without it, you can't sign a contract with a Kita.

• When: At the earliest 9 months and at the latest 2 months before you want your child to start. Your child must be at least 8 weeks old.
• Where: To the Jugendamt of the district you live in, even if the Kita is in another district. You can fill in the form online at service.berlin.de. All parents with custody need to sign the printed form, and you then send it by post or hand it in at your district's Familienservicebüro.
• How long it takes: The Gutschein usually arrives by post within 6–8 weeks. Applying is free.

How many hours of care can you get?

Documents you need:

• The application form signed by both parents with custody. If you have sole custody, proof of sole custody (Negativbescheinigung).
• For more than 7 hours of care or a child under 1: a letter from your employer showing your working hours, a school or training certificate, or a Finanzamt document if you are self-employed.

Tip: If your working hours change, you can update the Gutschein with a new application. There is no deadline for this.

Looking for a Kita

In recent years, free Kita places have started to appear in some Berlin districts. But in popular neighbourhoods and at certain Kitas, finding a place can still be hard.

• Kita-Navigator: Berlin's official Kita search site. You can filter by distance from your home or work, your child's age, languages and teaching approach, and see free places. You can also send applications to several Kitas at once from the site.
• Parent-run Kitas (EKT): Small Kitas run jointly by families. Free places are posted on the DaKS website. Parents are usually expected to take on regular tasks.
• When places open up: Most places open after the summer holidays (August–September), when older children start school. Registrations usually happen between January and March.

What works:

• Don't just send emails: call or visit the Kita in person. Many Kitas don't reply to emails.
• In your email, include your child's name, date of birth, your preferred start date and hours, your contact details and a short introduction of your family.
• Once you're on a waiting list, send a short message every 4–6 weeks to show you're still interested.
• Go to Kita open days (Tag der offenen Tür).
• The Stadtteilmütter in your district offer free, multilingual support. They can also help you get in touch with Kitas.

If you can't find a Kita

You have a legal right. From the age of one, every child has a right to care in a Kita or with a Tagesmutter (§ 24 SGB VIII). Finding a place is the state's responsibility, not the family's.

1. Notify the Jugendamt in writing: List the Kitas you applied to and the rejections you received, and ask the Jugendamt to find you a place. Keep copies of your applications and the replies.
2. Consider Tagespflege: A Tagesmutter or Tagesvater can care for up to 5 children in their home. It works with the same Gutschein and is free like a Kita. It's a good option especially for children under 3.
3. Legal action: If the Jugendamt can't offer a place either, you can file an urgent application with the administrative court (Verwaltungsgericht). If you couldn't return to work because there was no Kita place, you may also be able to claim compensation for lost income. Get legal advice before taking this step.

A new scheme is planned from August 2026. The Senate plans to send a half-day "welcome" Gutschein (Willkommensgutschein) to families whose children don't go to Kita yet. The aim is to make it easier for these families to find a place. You can ask your district's Jugendamt whether the scheme has started.

Contract and costs

Once you have the Gutschein and a Kita offers you a place, you sign a care contract (Betreuungsvertrag) with the Kita. In Berlin the Kita itself is free. These are the amounts you pay:

What a Kita can't charge you:

• Registration fees, reservation fees, deposits or cleaning fees.
• Making the extra fee a condition for a place. Even if you don't pay the extra fee, the Kita can't cancel your contract, and your child can take part in all activities.
• Requiring you to become a member of an association.

Closing days. From 2026, publicly funded Kitas can close for at most 27 days a year. The number of closing days must be stated in the contract. Before signing, check this number and how many weeks the Kita is closed in the summer holidays.

If you have a problem with extra fees, you can contact your district's Jugendamt.

Settling in and the first day

The settling-in period (Eingewöhnung) takes 2–4 weeks. Most Berlin Kitas use the "Berliner Modell". During this time you, or another adult your child knows, are at the Kita every day.

1. First 3 days: You stay in the group room with your child for about an hour a day. No separation.
2. Day 4: First separation attempt. You leave the room but stay in the Kita. The separation lasts at most 30 minutes.
3. The following days: The educator gradually takes over more of the care, and the separations get longer.
4. Final stage: You leave the Kita but need to be reachable by phone at all times.

So plan your return to work at least 3–4 weeks after the Kita start. You can share the settling-in period with your partner or another close person, but it's better if your child comes with the same person throughout.

What to give the Kita before the start:

• Measles vaccination proof: One dose for children over 1, two doses for children over 2. The vaccination card (Impfausweis) or U-Heft is enough. Without this proof, your child can't start Kita.
• Doctor's certificate: A certificate confirming there is no health reason against your child going to Kita. It must be issued no more than one week before the start.
• Proof of vaccination counselling: The doctor can add this to the same certificate.
• A written list of who is allowed to pick up your child.

What to pack: Spare clothes, closed slippers, a bottle with your child's name on it, nappies and wet wipes (if your child wears nappies), a rain jacket and rubber boots, and a favourite toy or cloth from home. This list can vary by Kita.

When your child is sick, you need to tell the Kita right away. After an infectious illness, your child can't return without a doctor's approval. It's very normal for children to get sick often in their first Kita months. Plan for Kinderkrankentage during this time.

Practical tips from mothers

• Keep a tracking sheet. Note the Kitas you applied to, when you contacted them and their replies. It helps both with follow-up messages and if you need to turn to the Jugendamt.
• Apply for the Gutschein before your work contract arrives. From the age of one, no proof is needed for up to 7 hours of care. For longer hours, you can add your employer's letter later.
• Being close matters. The teaching approach matters, but so does a 30-minute journey every day. You feel it most in rain, in the cold or when your child is sick.
• Questions for your first visit: How many children per educator? How many days a year is the Kita closed? Where are meals cooked? How do they approach multilingual children?
• Be patient during settling in. Crying at goodbye is normal. A short, clear goodbye is easier than a long one. Don't slip out without saying goodbye.
• Have a backup plan for the first months. Children get sick often in their first Kita winter. Arrange a backup carer or the option to work from home for this period.

This section will grow with the experiences of women in the BACIM community. If something has worked for you, you're welcome to share it.

Sources

• Applying for the Kita-Gutschein (service.berlin.de)
• Kita and childcare (Willkommenszentrum Berlin)
• Senate answer on Kita places and the Willkommensgutschein, October 2025 (Berlin House of Representatives)
• Information letter on Kita extra fees and lunch contribution (Berlin Senate Department, PDF)
• Senate answer on Kita closing days, June 2026 (Berlin House of Representatives)
• Sample Kita care contract (Berlin Senate Department, PDF)
• The Berlin settling-in model (Bielefeld University Kita, PDF)

This guide is not a substitute for legal advice. Information checked as of October 2026.