Agreement reached

108 childminders will remain with children after all

The childminders, like Sarah Doppler in the picture, can continue to work.(Bild: Einöder Horst)

The care of 480 protégés is fixed until the end of the year. Even after that, the threatened dismissals will not take place and, if necessary, will only be carried out in close consultation with the parents and children concerned. This was agreed by the province and the Upper Austrian childminders' campaign on Thursday.

The stone that falls from the worried hearts of the parents concerned can probably be heard all the way to the state parliament. Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander (ÖVP) and Aktion Tagesmütter OÖ announced an agreement on Thursday evening: The childcare places for 480 children have been secured (for the time being), as have the jobs of 108 childminders.

Assurance of funding
As reported, Upper Austria's largest association for childminders had raised the alarm on July 9: the board feared that it would no longer be able to finance the operation due to the state's new tariff regulations, which came into force this year, and was therefore considering a partial closure. However, this has now been averted.

In detail, it is about the new billing method, which actually stipulates that only actual hours of childcare are funded. The state assures the association that financial solutions will be sought in the event of absences such as longer periods of sick leave and that the childminders' campaign can call up the reserved funding.

I am very pleased that an agreement could be reached during the talks, which gives all those affected security. The care of the children is still guaranteed, that is the most important thing.

Christine Haberlander (ÖVP), LH-Vize und Bildungsreferentin

Fixed care until the end of the year
In return, the association guarantees that the care of all 480 children is guaranteed until the end of the year. And even after that, any redundancies will only be made in close consultation with those affected.

Both sides were relieved: "The care of the children is guaranteed, that's the most important thing," says Haberlander. Association chairwoman Jasmine Chansri adds: "This means we remain an important partner for our youngest children."