Before your child can finally get started at Kita, there’s a couple more bureaucratic hurdles you’ll need to clear.
First is signing the contract with the Kita.
For this you will need your Kita voucher. The Kita will tell you what other documents they will need from you.
Besides the basic information (start date, approved hours per day, cancellation period, etc.), the contract will inform you of your rights and obligations. It will also detail if the Kita charges an extra fee (see our article on how much a Kita costs in Berlin) and if so, how high this fee is.
Vaccinations and pediatrician's note
You will also need a letter from your child’s pediatrician (which is called the “Kita-Tauglichkeit”). This letter confirms that your child is healthy and able to start Kita at the agreed upon date. Please note that this letter cannot be older than 10 days from the Kita start date! Expect to pay around €25 at your doctor’s office.
If you don't have a pediatrician yet, we can recommend Dr. Claude Grenzbach, who is a private pediatrician in Mitte. She usually has appointments with "only" 2-3 weeks' wait time. Here, you will pay €75 for an appointment for the Kita-Tauglichkeitsbescheinigung (not including any vaccinations that may be necessary).
Finally, you will also need to give a copy of your child’s vaccination records to the Kita. Ask your pediatrician for a letter confirming the given vaccinations and note that all children need to be vaccinated against measles in order to attend Kita (one shot if at least one year old and 2 shots if 2 years or older). Note also that while a chickenpox vaccine is not required, current rules state that all unvaccinated children will need to stay home from Kita for 16 days if another child in their group gets the chickenpox.
Also check out our other two articles about how to prepare for Kita: "What to buy for Kita" and "How to prepare for the Eingewöhnung".
