Apply for childcare

Prerequisites

• You have custody.
• You live with your child in a shared household in Hamburg and are registered there as your main residence.
• Your child has already completed his or her first year of life.
• Your child has not yet started school and is not attending preschool.

If you wish to apply for care for more than 5 hours per day, or if you wish to apply for care for a child under one year old, at least one of the following conditions must also apply:

• You are employed or are completing vocational training or further education.
• They receive citizen’s allowance.
• You have immigrated to Germany and are attending a German language course or an integration course.
• There are other social or educational needs that make care necessary.

Documents required

• Completed application (online or in paper form)
• Copy of identity documents (identity card, passport) of the applying parent

When applying for care for more than 5 hours per day or care for a child under one year of age, additionally:

• Completed questionnaire on financial circumstances (only if applying in paper form)
• Proof of income
• Evidence showing your daily working or course time (e.g. employment contract, employer certificate, course certificate, credible evidence for self-employed persons)
• if applicable: proof of need from the General Social Services (ASD)

Please note

Deadlines

Due to the processing time, it is recommended that you submit your initial or new application as early as possible, but no earlier than 6 months before the desired start of care. Care can only be approved retroactively from the time the application is received by the responsible authority.


If your child is already in care, the approval period is about to end and you want to continue to use the care, you must submit a follow-up application. You should submit a follow-up application at least 3 months before the approval period expires. An extension can be granted retroactively up to the 1st of the corresponding month in which the application was made.

Procedure

• You submit your application for a daycare voucher together with the necessary documents to the responsible authority. You can submit the application online.
  • If you would like to apply for a daycare voucher for after-school care, you must submit the application in paper form.
• The responsible authority will examine your application and, if necessary, request any missing documents or information from you.
• If all requirements are met, you will receive the daycare voucher for a specific level of care.
• You redeem the daycare voucher at a daycare facility.

Processing time

Up to 10 weeks

Fees

For application processing: No


For the five-hour basic care: No


For care of up to 12 hours per day: 4.00 - 204.00 EUR personal contribution


Further information on the contribution calculation can be found in the linked links

Legal remedies

Contradiction

Legal basis

§ 22 Social Code, Volume VIII (SGB VIII)

www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_8/__22.html


§ 23 Social Code, Volume VIII (SGB VIII)

www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_8/__23.html


§ 24 Social Code, Volume VIII (SGB VIII)

www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_8/__24.html


§ 90 Social Code, Volume VIII (SGB VIII)

www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_8/__90.html