All-day support is a supplemental educational program that provides elementary school students with afternoon activities designed to foster their personal development.

This legal entitlement ensures that all elementary school children receive support. The goal is to give everyone equal opportunities. It also aims to close the gap in care that arises when children start school.

If your child is in first grade during the 2026–2027 school year, they are entitled to a full-day support program spot. This entitlement applies during both the school year and school breaks. If your child is in grades 2 through 4, they do not have a legal entitlement. The City of Mainz plans to have a youth welfare agency or the student’s elementary school provide care for students in the higher grade levels. 

All full-day support programs are designed to be inclusive.

Yes, these child and youth welfare services will continue for as long as they are needed.

In Mainz, all-day programs are run by accredited youth welfare organizations. Each organization sets its own thematic priorities. As a result, the programs offered may vary from school to school. All programs are supervised by educational staff and include, among other things, creative and physical activities.

Parent fees for the City of Mainz’s full-day childcare program are structured on a sliding scale based on income

Full-day support is provided on all days when classes are in session. 

The requirements for staff depend on the legal framework governing the all-day program.

• In all-day schools and elementary schools with after-school care, the School Act (SchulG RLP) applies. Therefore, the Ministry of Education is responsible for staffing in these settings (Model 1).

• For all-day programs organized by recognized youth welfare providers, the requirement for qualified staff (SGB VIII) applies. This means that staff members with training in education work in these programs (Model 2).

Staffing levels are determined by the size of each group under Model 2.

At each location, an educational director assumes overall responsibility for the program. This person coordinates and oversees the educational work, shapes the program’s content, and serves as the primary point of contact for parents and staff.

The educational director is supported by at least one qualified educator or a person with educational training. As group sizes increase, the team is supplemented as needed with additional qualified educators and staff with educational training to ensure high-quality care and support.

In addition, FSJ volunteers, part-time workers, and activity leaders may join the team to, for example, lead after-school clubs.

Full-day support is not academic support or tutoring.

It’s good when the youth welfare agency at the school works together with neighborhood organizations. That way, there’s a wide variety of activities available. To make this happen, there need to be clear guidelines—for example, regarding how many children are registered and when the club meets. Then youth welfare agencies can collaborate with a neighborhood organization. The city of Mainz is working to make this collaboration possible.

Lunch is to be eaten in the cafeteria. At half-day schools without cafeterias, the city of Mainz is currently working to complete temporary cafeterias (as an interim solution). Until then, school classrooms will be used as dining areas.

The full-day program at elementary schools runs from Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, the program is offered under the GaFöG. Lunch as part of the full-day program is subsidized by the city. Unfortunately, the GaFöG program cannot be subsidized by the City of Mainz. For more details, see Question 16.

Lunch provided as part of the full-day school program at elementary schools is governed by the School Act. This is a mandatory responsibility of the administration. The law stipulates that parents must contribute an appropriate share of the cost of lunch and that the City of Mainz covers the remaining costs.

Based on the policy decision adopted by the City Council at its meeting on December 16, 2024, the total costs of services provided by independent operators on behalf of the City of Mainz must be billed in full to parents in accordance with the GaFöG. For this reason, lunch cannot be subsidized in the form of a program, as is the case in all-day schools.

Elementary schools that provide after-school care may continue to operate and also fulfill the legal entitlement (Model 1)

If the elementary school providing after-school care does not meet the legal entitlement, a youth welfare service will be established there to offer first-grade students a spot (Model 2).

If the youth welfare agency can only provide full-day support services to first-graders, there is the option for a primary school providing after-school care to help shape the transition period from 2026–2027 to 2029–2030.

After-school care is offered during the Easter, summer, and fall breaks. There is no after-school care during the winter break.

No, during the fall break in 2026, vacation care will be available only at select elementary schools. The elementary schools have been selected to ensure that all city districts are well served and that the children have plenty of space to play. It is not necessary for the vacation program to take place at the schools. The city is working to find other suitable locations for the program as well.

Yes, there is a regular fee and a reduced fee.

Yes, the vacation programs organized by the City of Mainz include lunch. The cost is already included in the fees.