In an additional meeting on 21.05.2026, the council of the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer decided to amend the parental contribution statutes with 21 votes in favor and 18 abstentions. After none of the proposed options initially found a majority at the council meeting on 07.05.2026, the topic was discussed again. The aim was to find a solution that would both take into account the city's financial situation and allow families a transitional period.
For many parents, the discussion about the sibling discount was associated with uncertainty. The city admits that the past few weeks have been stressful for many families - particularly due to short-term developments and a lack of planning security.
From 01.08.2026, the following transitional regulation will now apply:
For the first child cared for, the regular fee is payable according to the income level and the booked care time.
For the second child cared for at the same time, fifty percent of the regular fee is charged until 31.12.2026.
For each additional sibling cared for at the same time, no parental contribution is charged until 31.12.2026.
From 01.01.2027, the regular parental contributions will be charged for all children in care at the same time.
"The decision was not an easy one for the council," explains Mayor Dr. Dominik Pichler. "We are aware that this change will particularly affect families with several small children financially and may cause concern. At the same time, the city is under considerable financial pressure and is obliged to implement budget consolidation measures. With the transitional arrangement, we wanted to cushion the additional burden, at least temporarily, and give families the opportunity to adjust to the changes."
The mayor also emphasizes that the feedback from parents has been taken seriously: "We have very clearly sensed how great the desire for reliability and early information is. That is why we would like to start the consultations on parental contributions from the 2027/2028 kindergarten year in June."
The aim is to adopt the new parental contribution statutes before the end of the year so that families have clarity about the contributions and framework conditions for the coming kindergarten year at an early stage.
In addition to the financial framework conditions, possible changes to the Child Education Act (KiBiz), childcare times and socially balanced contribution models are to be included in the discussions. The city has announced that it will make the process transparent. Initial ideas for the new parental contribution statutes are to be discussed at the Youth Welfare Committee on June 18, 2026.