Survey of children with special needs in daycare centers and elementary schools in the city of Ingolstadt

At the Center for Marriage and Family in Society at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, we are dealing with children with special needs on behalf of the city of Ingolstadt. With this project, we want to find out what the situation is like regarding children with special educational needs in Ingolstadt's childcare and educational facilities. A survey of professionals and teachers is intended to generate more precise information and reliable figures on children with special educational needs or problems.  The survey focuses on children with integrative measures or integration assistance, children in inclusive schooling and children who show similar or other characteristics. The existing support measures and needs are also evaluated in each case. Particular attention is paid to language support courses such as the German preliminary course. The results of the survey are intended to show possible further developments of existing offers to support children with increased support needs.

Further information on the project:

Project goal

The aim of this project is to create a database on the situation of children with special educational needs in Ingolstadt's day care centers and elementary school.

Brief description

The number of children with increased support needs or developmental problems in Ingolstadt's daycare facilities and elementary schools has steadily increased in recent years (Foidl and Gronauer 2023; City of Ingolstadt 2023). In 2023, of the approximately 6,400 children attending a daycare center in Ingolstadt, an average of 236 children required a special integrative place, which ensures that the children receive more support and care (City of Ingolstadt - Office for Childcare and Education 2024). In addition to the children who have been diagnosed with such needs, the facilities and other stakeholders in the field of childcare and education also report an increasing number of children with similar problems but without a diagnosis. These children nevertheless have an increased need for support and care, which cannot be met by the facilities with the appropriate additional staff and/or external services. This can have a negative impact on the development of the child in question, as he or she cannot be optimally supported, as well as leading to an overload for the educational staff and thus affecting the entire facility. This topic is therefore highly relevant for everyone involved. As children with increased support needs without integrative measures or integration assistance or children without special educational needs are not recorded statistically, it has not yet been possible to make any qualified statements about the extent of this phenomenon. This research project aims to change this situation and provide reliable data on children with integrative measures or integration assistance, on children in inclusive schooling and on children who show similar or other problems. In order to be able to assess the situation and support of the children as well as the specialist and teaching staff, the support measures available for the children and the needs and stress situation of the staff are also evaluated.

Project manager

Prof. Dr. Klaus Stüwe

Project staff

Dr. Veronika Hecht

Helena Czech, M. A.

Jasmin Juch, M. Sc.