Childcare places in Bremen are scarce. For single parents in particular, this often means that without a regular childcare place, they cannot work, begin an apprenticeship, or even pursue further training.
Women and men who rely on job center support due to parental leave and receive a rejection for a daycare place for the new daycare year often despair. Finding a childcare place during the school year is extremely difficult.
But what happens if the person finds a job they've been looking for for a long time? We've spent many years searching for a quick and pragmatic solution for such cases. Where is the equal opportunity if, for example, a single, unemployed mother has to give up her dream job simply because there's no childcare place available at that moment?
KibA-Flex offers the chance for an independent and financially self-determined life
Three Bremen institutions worked long and hard on the solution – the Senate Department for Children and Education , the Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Labour and Europe , and us as the Bremen Job Center. And we were successful: Since mid-October 2021, we have launched a new pilot project, "KibA-Flex" – flexible childcare for single mothers and fathers.
We offer temporary childcare to parents receiving unemployment benefits I or II. This service is provided by qualified childcare professionals at a daycare center on Am Wall. This helps pave the way for them to enter the job market and plan or start a life independent of government assistance.
The "KibA-Flex" program allows children aged one to six to secure a place in a central daycare center for up to three months without waiting. During this time, the job center works with the parents to subsequently arrange a regular childcare place closer to their home.
A total of ten childcare places are available and are allocated centrally through the Job Center's Equal Opportunities Officer . Childcare hours are between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.
KibA-Flex – what are the requirements for participation?
The requirements for the allocation of childcare places are:
- Benefit receipt at the job center
- short-term commencement of employment, training or a company internship,
- the lack of a regular childcare place at the time of starting work or training.
Important: These places cannot be used to bridge school holiday periods; unfortunately, school children cannot receive care in the "KibA-Flex" project. Care is not intended for participation in integration/language courses.
It is primarily young mothers who have placed their children in childcare in order to start an education or take up employment, and would not have this opportunity without the project.
KibA-Flex is based on voluntary participation
Each mother decides voluntarily whether to participate in the project, taking her personal circumstances into account. After the initial meeting, most of the women opted for this specialized childcare program in Bremen-Mitte, even though many of them live in other parts of the city. They accept longer commutes to seize their opportunity for training rather than wait another year. And it's truly worthwhile – the children are clearly thriving in the small daycare center.
The experienced childcare workers and social assistants lovingly care for the children and ensure a smooth settling-in period. The children are happy, the parents can relax and pursue their work, and we are pleased that our clients have a real chance of becoming independent from us – the job center – in the near future.
How can I get a place at KibA-Flex?
If you are interested in flexible childcare and meet the above-mentioned requirements, please ask your employment advisor at the job center about "KibA-Flex" or send an inquiry to .
You will receive feedback within one week regarding whether your children can access the childcare program. Unfortunately, all places are currently full.
Natascha Hesse works at the Bremen Job Center as an Equal Opportunities Officer for the Labor Market . There, she is responsible for issues concerning gender equality in the labor market and the compatibility of family and career. She coordinates the "KibA-Flex" project and provides information, advice, and support to job seekers with family responsibilities, for example, regarding the return to work for parents after a period of family leave.