Two laughing girls
Pedagogy
23.01.2026 Gabriele Strasser 19313

Care bottleneck? Back-up!

Uncomplicated, friendly, caring: parents give our back-up facilities top marks.

If childcare center is closed, the childminder is ill or a business trip is imminent, our back-up facilities step in with high-quality, individual childcare. The results of our satisfaction survey once again show how happy children and parents feel with this form of childcare.

Around 650 families took part in the survey in the third quarter of 2025. These are the key findings:

  • 98.7% confirmed that they and their child were welcomed in a friendly manner.
  • 96.8% of parents stated that their child felt comfortable in the backup care.
  • 96.8% found the atmosphere in the facility pleasant.
  • 98.7% were pleased with the smooth registration process.
  • 99.6% think it is important that their employer provides this service.

What the parents say

In addition to clickable options, parents also had the opportunity to provide free feedback. Here are some responses to the question "What particularly impressed you about our offer?":

"Very easy to get to, always friendly staff. My children and I love it."
Dr. med. Fiona Schedel

"Thanks to the backup service, I was able to bridge several days when my schoolchild could not be looked after at school with the pme backup service."

"Excellent individual care, even for a child with disabilities!" 

"Your service is worth its weight in gold and, especially in my job as a flight attendant with very irregular working hours, extremely important."

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Every feedback is received

We are delighted that so many families took part in the survey. This gives us important information about the areas in which parents are satisfied and where there is room for improvement. We use a defined process to ensure that all feedback reaches the respective back-up center.

Individual and age-appropriate: the best care for every child

Our back-up facilities offer the employees of our client companies with a corresponding contract short-term and flexible care for children from under one year to 12 years. They are the ideal childcare solution when bottlenecks arise, for example due to the childminder falling ill or vacation closures, or when employees need spontaneous care during business trips, vacation replacements, appointments or seminars scheduled at short notice. The childcare teams adapt to the composition of the group every day and ensure that the day is an enjoyable experience with age-appropriate activities.

"In our backup facilities, children find security and at the same time receive stimulating input appropriate to their age. Our goal is to provide playful learning experiences for children and relief for parents. Through high quality standards, defined processes, and regular professional exchange, we train and support our educational teams, thus ensuring quality, fun, and flexibility in our backup facilities." Annika Weißhuhn, Back-up Manager

 

 

 

Get to know our back-up facility!

Would you like to get to know the back-up together with your child without obligation? Arrange a trial appointment by e-mail or telephone. You can find the addresses and contact details of our facilities here. 

zero Vacation for family caregivers: how it works

Old woman in a wheelchair
Age & care
28.06.2024 Gabriele Strasser 26197

Vacation for family caregivers? This is how it works!

Family caregivers can also take leave. Eldercare expert Jürgen Griesbeck explains how.

Always there for others, always ready for action: almost 1.4 million people in Germany care for relatives such as their parents at home. This often leaves little time for relaxation. What many people don't know: The care insurance funds cover the costs of alternative care to a certain extent so that carers can take time out.

Read more in this article:

During vacation: substitute or short-term care

There are various options for alternative care during your vacation:

  • You can organize a private replacement. If the person is not related to the person in need of care, they will receive money from the care insurance for the care they provide.
  • You can hire an outpatient service. In this case, the care insurance fund pays for three visits a day - in the morning, at midday and in the evening.
  • The person in need of care can be cared for in a short-term care home.

Care insurance pays the costs of alternative care in addition to the regular care allowance. Caring relatives therefore do not suffer any financial losses.

Good to know!

Replacement care due to leave can only be applied for if the person in need of care has previously been cared for at home for at least six months. Whether by one person or by different people is irrelevant. This so-called pre-care period does not apply to those in need of care who have care level 4 or 5 at the start of the substitute care and are younger than 25.

In the event of illness: temporary care

The care insurance fund also pays for alternative care if the caregiver is ill. In this case, this is referred to as respite care. Unlike substitute care due to vacation, for which care must be provided for six months beforehand, respite care can be applied for as soon as the carer falls ill. There are two options here: On the one hand, hourly care at home or short-term care in a home.

Who is entitled to the benefits?

People in need of care who have at least care level 2 are entitled to substitute or respite care as well as short-term care. Substitute or respite care can only be applied for by private carers, neighbors or friends, but not by professional carers.

How much is paid?

People in need of care are legally entitled to have their health insurance fund reimburse them for the costs of substitute care and short-term care up to an amount of 1612 euros per calendar year. Replacement care can be claimed for a period of six weeks, which corresponds to 42 calendar days, while short-term care can be claimed for eight weeks, i.e. 56 calendar days. The funds from both pots can be combined: Those who only claim short-term care can also draw on the entire budget for respite care and increase their benefit entitlement to €3,224. Conversely, insured persons who opt for respite care can also use the budget for short-term care - in this case, however, only up to a maximum of 50 percent, which limits the benefit amount to EUR 2,418 per calendar year.

What lead time can be expected?

When planning vacations, it is advisable to think anti-cyclically: the majority of Germans go on vacation during the summer and Christmas vacations. This means that care services and short-term care homes are also limited in their capacities at these times. It is easier to find alternative care outside the vacation periods.

 My tip

"I can only recommend that all family caregivers take this time out, which is funded by the care insurance fund. You can recharge your batteries and take a break from everyday care. Replacement or short-term care is also often an interesting and enriching experience for those in need of care. Short-term care is a particularly good way to get to know what it is like to live in a home for a short time with no obligation."

Jürgen Griesbeck, Product Manager Homecare-Eldercare, pme Familienservice Group

 

pme Familienservice Group - Your EAP provider since 1991

On behalf of more than 900 employers, the pme Familienservice Group supports employees in achieving a successful work-life balance and being able to work with a clear head.
The pme Familienservice Group supports employees in crises, e.g. conflicts at work, addiction or partnership problems. With a homecare eldercare service, it relieves the burden on professionals in organizing and financing care services and offers psychosocial support. The pme Academy offers seminars, workshops and coaching on the topics of personnel management and development.
You can find out more about the pme Familienservice Group here: www.familienservice.de/wer-wir-sind

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