When a child falls ill at Kita, working parents may need to leave their jobs at short notice. Here is how German paediatric care, childcare illness rules and statutory child-sickness benefits work.

The telephone rings in the middle of the afternoon. Your child’s Kita says there is a fever and someone needs to collect the child. Both parents are working. Who can leave, and will the absence be paid?

My grandson attends Kita in Munich. Watching how family life works there has made me curious about the everyday arrangements that newcomers must learn. A sick child brings several systems together: healthcare, childcare and employment law.

Finding a paediatrician in Germany

A Kinderarzt or Kinderärztin handles routine childhood illnesses, vaccinations and preventive examinations. Start looking for a practice soon after moving. Some practices have limited space for new patients. Ask your statutory health insurer or regional Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians for help, and consult 116117 for appointments and out-of-hours medical services. Ask whether the practice accepts new patients and whether staff can communicate in English.

For wider guidance, see my article on finding a doctor in Germany.

Does insurance cover children?

Many children qualify for contribution-free family coverage (Familienversicherung) through a parent’s statutory health insurance. Eligibility depends on family circumstances. In particular, mixed private and statutory insurance households should confirm the child’s status directly with the insurer. Statutory coverage generally pays for medically necessary treatment and covered preventive services. Children under 18 are normally exempt from statutory prescription co-payments.

What are the U-Untersuchungen?

Germany’s scheduled preventive examinations begin soon after birth and continue through childhood. Doctors assess growth and development, including speech and movement at appropriate ages. Results are recorded in the yellow Gelbes Heft. Keep the booklet and attend the scheduled visits. Kita requirements concerning measles protection are separate from a general request to see a child’s full medical history.

What happens when a child falls ill at Kita?

Children encounter frequent infections when they begin group childcare. A mild runny nose does not always prevent attendance, but fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or an inability to participate normally may mean staying home. Kita staff may call parents to collect a child who becomes ill during the day.

There is no universal 24-hour or 48-hour return rule for every childhood illness. Specific infections may trigger exclusion or notification rules under Germany’s Infection Protection Act. Read your Kita’s written illness policy and follow applicable public-health guidance.

A medical certificate is not automatically necessary for returning after every cold. The documentation needed to return to Kita is different from the certificate required for statutory child-sickness benefits. Ask the Kita what evidence it actually needs.

When should parents seek medical help?

A child with mild symptoms who is alert and drinking adequately may not need an immediate appointment. Seek medical advice for concerning, persistent or worsening symptoms. Difficulty breathing, severe dehydration or unusual unresponsiveness requires urgent attention. Call 112 for a life-threatening emergency; 116117 is for urgent but non-life-threatening medical needs outside normal practice hours.

Can a parent stay home from work?

Section 45 of Germany’s Social Code Book V (SGB V) provides qualifying insured employees with a right to unpaid time off to care for a sick child. Normally, the child must be under twelve, unless an exception applies for a child with a disability who depends on assistance. A doctor must certify the need for care, and no other person living in the household must be available to provide it. Notify the employer promptly.

Paid absence is a different question. Section 616 of the German Civil Code may provide continued remuneration for a short personal absence in some circumstances, but contracts or collective agreements can restrict or exclude it. Check the employment terms rather than assuming the employer must pay.

Kinderkrankengeld in 2026: How many days?

For 2026, qualifying parents generally have 15 working days per child per parent, or 30 days per child for eligible single parents. With multiple children, the ordinary annual maximum is 35 days per parent or 70 days for eligible single parents. These are benefit entitlements, not a promise that every employee qualifies.

Kinderkrankengeld generally replaces 90% of lost net earnings, subject to statutory limits. Certain one-off payments can affect the calculation, and applicable social insurance contributions reduce the amount paid.

A Munich example

Imagine a couple whose two-year-old develops a fever. Their paediatrician certifies that the child needs three working days of care. One parent stays home. If the insurance and other legal conditions are met, that parent can apply for Kinderkrankengeld for the qualifying unpaid days. Each eligible parent has an individual entitlement, but duplicate payments cannot be claimed for the same care period.

What if the child is admitted to hospital?

Since January 2024, eligible parents can receive Kinderkrankengeld for medically necessary accompaniment of a child during inpatient treatment without the ordinary annual child-sickness day limit applying to that qualifying period. Ask the hospital and insurer which evidence is required.

How to apply

Contact the paediatrician for the required certification, inform your employer and follow your statutory insurer’s claim process. Many insurers offer digital submission. The employer may need to transmit earnings information. Working from home does not itself disqualify a parent if caring for the child prevents them from working and the remaining requirements are met.

Insurance status matters. If the child is privately insured, statutory Kinderkrankengeld is generally not available, even when a parent has statutory insurance. Families should check their own arrangements.

Prepare before the first Kita phone call

Save the paediatrician’s number, read the Kita’s illness policy and ask HR how to report child-sickness absence. Make sure the Kita knows which adults may collect your child. Newcomers may also find it useful to learn Fieber (fever), Durchfall (diarrhoea) and Erbrechen (vomiting).

Language learning is another part of everyday Kita life. I have written about my grandson growing up with English, Urdu and German. For more practical topics, visit the Living in Germany hub.

The next call from Kita may still interrupt a busy afternoon. Knowing whom to contact and what the law provides makes the decisions a little clearer.

Official sources

• Federal Family Portal: Kinderkrankengeld
• Section 45 SGB V
• Federal Ministry of Health
• Robert Koch Institute

Legal information reviewed 16 October 2026. Individual entitlements depend on insurance and employment circumstances.