German nursery study links hands-on providers to safer care

A nationwide survey of nearly 4,800 nursery managers finds that structured induction, staff training and closer provider oversight are associated with fewer reports of inappropriate behaviour towards children.

A new Bertelsmann Stiftung study suggests that the quality of care in German nurseries depends heavily on what happens behind the scenes: how providers recruit, induct and train staff. The research, led by education scientist Marina Lagemann at Justus Liebig University Giessen, was based on a nationwide online survey of nearly 4,800 nursery managers carried out in September and October 2025, covering around 8% of all childcare settings in Germany. The findings point to a system under strain, in which providers often make compromises on qualifications simply to keep groups open and services running. According to the foundation, that pressure can have direct consequences for children’s safety and well-being.

The study’s authors say the link between provider involvement and child protection is hard to ignore. Where providers stay closely involved in induction and follow up with proper retraining when needed, reports of inappropriate or boundary-crossing behaviour towards children fall significantly. That is a striking result in a sector where many managers say standards are uneven. Noemi Dobelmann, who works on early childhood education at the Bertelsmann Stiftung, told Stern that panic is not the answer, but vigilance is. She said most teams are committed to treating children professionally and sensitively, yet the evidence shows that protection and well-being are not guaranteed in every setting at all times.

The survey also suggests that problems are not confined to isolated lapses. Dobelmann said the data cover a wide range of conduct, from harsh language and rough reprimands to more serious physical oversteps such as grabbing a child’s arm. She stressed that even when behaviour is less severe, it can still reflect poor practice and a lack of shared standards within teams. The foundation’s earlier work had already indicated that well-functioning team processes can reduce the risk of misconduct, and this latest study again points to the importance of time for reflection, open discussion and a culture in which mistakes are addressed rather than ignored.

One of the most troubling findings is the pressure on staffing decisions. The foundation says many nurseries are hiring people without a pedagogical background, and in a significant number of cases managers report that recruitment standards are lowered in areas such as empathy, attitude and professional suitability. Dobelmann said the rapid expansion of childcare places over recent years was socially important, but it has not been matched by equivalent gains in quality. She argued that some Länder have relaxed staffing rules in order to find enough workers, but warned that such compromises can undermine the child-centred approach that nurseries are supposed to provide. In some cases, she added, providers have even allowed people to continue working despite concerns raised by the nursery management, while checks such as the enhanced criminal record certificate have not always been carried out consistently.

The study points to a way out of that cycle. Where providers work closely with nursery leaders, support them in staff selection and make sure new employees receive structured induction and further training, the quality of care improves and inappropriate conduct becomes less likely. Dobelmann said that better coordination between providers and nursery management is essential, because responsibilities are often blurred even though the provider carries legal accountability as an employer and for child protection. She also urged parents to pay attention to warning signs without panicking, and to make use of each nursery’s safeguarding policy and open dialogue with staff. With birth rates falling in many parts of Germany, she argued, policymakers now have an opportunity to use any easing of demand to strengthen quality rather than cut posts, so that fewer children are exposed to unnecessary risk and more can experience the secure, responsive care they need.