A Modest Response

Top Marks for Child Care, but Hardly Anyone Responded

Whether it’s crafts or playtime: Linz’s child care services receive top marks from the parents who participated in the survey.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Linz’s childcare services receive an excellent report card from parents. But the latest survey has one flaw: only a fraction of families participated at all. At the same time, the challenges for educators are growing, as more and more children require special support.

Linz’s childcare services receive an exceptionally good report card from parents. 96.3 percent of respondents are satisfied or very satisfied with the city’s daycare centers; for kindergartens, the figure is 92.9 percent; and for after-school care centers, it’s still 89.1 percent. These figures naturally please Karin Leitner, the SP’s deputy mayor.

Only 10 percent of parents rated the after-school care centers
However, the latest parent survey also has a flaw. Of the 4,143 parents invited to participate, only 749 took part in the survey. This corresponds to a response rate of about 18%. Interest was particularly low at after-school care centers, where just 10.3% of parents shared their opinions. The city nevertheless considers the results meaningful. “We are evaluating the results carefully and taking all the feedback seriously,” the deputy mayor’s office stated in response to a query from *Krone*.

More and more children need special care
These positive ratings are particularly noteworthy given the increasing demands. The number of children with special needs has nearly quadrupled since 2018. While there were approximately 175 such children at that time, by 2025 the number had risen to 695. The city attributes this trend, among other things, to faster diagnoses and its role as a service hub for the metropolitan area.

City Cannot Meet the Entire Need
Staffing levels have also been increased: Since 2018, a total of 325 full-time equivalents have been added to the city’s childcare facilities. However, this increase applies to all areas and not exclusively to integration support. The city cannot meet the entire demand within its own facilities. Therefore, when necessary, parents are also referred to private providers or child care providers.

Parents Want More Information
The survey also reveals where parents would like to see improvements. For example, 41 percent of after-school care parents surveyed would like more information on learning support, and just under 40 percent on violence prevention and child protection. In kindergartens, 44 percent would like more information on preschool support. The city has therefore announced that it will expand its information offerings and promote adult education center events more actively.