Significantly more childcare capacity than children in Jena

There are currently far more nursery places available in Jena than are needed. This is due to the sharp drop in the number of births in recent years. The city council will therefore decide on a proposal to further reduce capacity at its next meeting on 24.09.2025.

In September 2023, the city council had already given the order to reduce "up to 500" kindergarten places by the end of 2027. The Youth Welfare Committee then drew up corresponding measures, which are now almost complete. Despite the reduction already underway, there is currently still an overcapacity of around 1,000 places in Jena.

Demographic development significantly worse than forecast

The reason for this imbalance is that the demographic trend for the years 2022 to 2024 has been significantly worse than forecast by the city and the Thuringian State Office for Statistics. While between 1,000 and 1,150 births were recorded each year between 2007 and 2021, the figure fell by around 20 percent to 855 in 2022. This trend continued with 769 births in 2023 and 738 in 2024.

Only part of the overcapacity is to be reduced according to the proposal

Forecasts for the coming years assume that the number of nursery children will continue to fall until 2028. Over the next three to four years, there could therefore be an overcapacity of up to 1,650 places. However, a demographically-based trend reversal and a resulting increase in the number of children can be expected from 2029. The proposal that has now been drawn up therefore envisages reducing a further 500 places and thus only part of the overcapacity.

Measures to be implemented by the end of 2030

The proposal was developed in close consultation with the sub-committee "Child daycare matters" and was discussed by the Youth Welfare Committee on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. It is proposed to the City Council that the Youth Welfare Committee be given the task of reducing "up to 500 additional kindergarten places". The committee is to decide on corresponding measures and implement them by the end of 2030 at the latest.

"The current proposal is based on long-term, forward-looking planning. In order to use our resources efficiently and purposefully in the coming years, it is necessary to design childcare services in line with demand - with a close eye on demographic developments, but also - and in particular - on our children, families and teachers,"

said Johannes Schleußner, Head of the Department for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport.