51ÁÔÆæ

The offer includes reimbursement of/a subsidy towards the costs for flexible childcare outside regular childcare hours as specified here (weekdays between 16.00 and 07.30 as well as at the weekend). Such childcare must be necessary due to official tasks. It is possible to apply for a maximum of up to €600 per person per year from the fund. The children to be looked after must be between 0 and 14 years of age, children with special needs aged 0 to 25 years. Childcare can also take place at home.

The offer is intended for all staff and enrolled doctoral candidates at 51ÁÔÆæ Frankfurt with children aged 0 to 14 years (children with special needs 0 to 25 years). Doctoral candidates must either be employed at 51ÁÔÆæ Frankfurt or enrolled there (proof of enrolment). 

The off-peak hours are fixed: weekdays 16.00 to 07.30. and Saturday/Sunday from 07.30 to 07.30 on the following day. You can only apply for reimbursement of/a subsidy towards childcare costs at these fixed times. The off-peak hours are fixed independently of your regular and individual childcare situation. To avail yourself of the offer, there must be compelling work-related reasons and no other regular childcare available. Private reasons, such as your child or partner taking ill, are excluded.

The fund for flexible childcare is not a fund for emergency situations, i.e. illness/loss of regular childcare cannot be financed via the fund (this also includes, for example, irregular closure of nurseries/pre-schools due to holidays, staff shortages, the coronavirus pandemic, or private reasons such as the child/partner taking ill). Due to tax rules, the fund only covers compelling, work-related reasons up to an amount of €600 per person/calendar year and short-term childcare requirements only. “Short-term" childcare means it is neither foreseeable nor indefinite. Childcare can last a maximum of one week. At the same time, childcare requirements must be due to compelling and work-related reasons.

It is not possible to fix the off-peak hours on the basis of individual requirements, as the fund is not allowed to substitute regular childcare. No private reasons, such as illness or possible special closing times of nurseries and pre-schools, can be taken into account. Nor is the fund able to cover a loss of childcare due to the coronavirus pandemic.

You can avail yourself of the flexible childcare service at the off-peak times specified if you are obliged to make use of it due to necessary work-related activities. Such activities include:

• Participation in/organisation of congresses, conferences, workshops, evening events  
• Necessary laboratory work/fieldwork, supervision of internships that cannot be done during regular working hours
• Weekend seminars, continuing education seminars at the weekend, committee work
• Other official activities 

Your (doctoral) supervisor must confirm that childcare is necessary at off-peak times for official purposes (please submit theapllication form by email).

Private reasons for using the childcare service, such as your child or partner taking ill, are excluded.

Each person may use the offer for a temporary period, i.e. up to a maximum of one week. In a year, it is possible to apply for a total sum of up to €600 per person, irrespective of how often the fund is used. The amount per hour of childcare that can be reimbursed is limited to max. €25. You must bear any additional costs yourself.

The offer only applies until the total annual amount available from the fund is exhausted. 

Please indicate on your application form the date, times and number of hours of childcare you require.

The childcare provider may not be a relative and must either be attached to an institution or verifiably trained/qualified to care for children (babysitter training, degree in education, carer, nursery school teacher, childminder, etc.).

You must complete the application form for the reimbursement of costs and submit it to the Family Service at the Equal Opportunities Office (to Sara Schnier by email please) as early as possible in order to receive a reply before childcare is required. You can also submit your application retroactively, i.e. up to three days after childcare has been provided. However, in this case confirmation of whether the costs will be reimbursed/subsidised is not possible and it might be the case that your application cannot be approved.

When applying for childcare for children with special needs aged 0 to 25 years, please submit supporting medical documents together with the Family Service form. After receipt of your application, the Family Service will check the documents and endeavour to let you know as soon as possible whether costs will be reimbursed/subsidised.

Applications are considered in the chronological order in which they are received (i.e. on a first-come, first-served basis) and only until the fund has been exhausted. 

After the end of the childcare, the childcare provider (babysitter, childminder, etc.) completes the Family Service's invoice form and submits it directly to the Family Service (this is required within 14 days after childcare has been provided and by 7 December at the latest for December applications).

There can be several reasons why your application was not approved. The most frequent reasons are:

1. The times required for childcare do not correspond to the fixed off-peak hours.
2. There is no work-related necessity.
3. Your application form was incomplete.
4. The fund for reimbursement of costs is already exhausted.
5. You have already reached the maximum sum allowed.
6. The childcare provider is not (sufficiently) qualified.