How do childcare centers cope with heat? – Findings of a mixed-method approach from three German cities

Abstract

Heat poses a crucial threat to human health, and infants and young children are considered as especially vulnerable. Therefore, staff in childcare facilities are responsible for taking actions to minimize health effects caused by heat. So far, however, little is known about the impacts of heat and how heat is dealt with in childcare facilities. To gain insights on this, we used a mixed-method approach including five semi-structured interviews, a survey (n = 51) and three workshops (n = 21) with staff from childcare centers and their overarching facilitating organizations in three mid-sized German cities. This study shows that the extent of heat exposure differs due to heterogeneous physical and structural pre-conditions, but heat-health impacts are still quite common among children as well as staff members. The staff report on various prevention and immediate adaptation measures that have already been or will be implemented indoors and outdoors in case of heat waves. Nevertheless, the study reveals that the warning and information situation needs improvement, and that heat issues need to be better institutionalized in the childcare sector in Germany in order to enhance heat adaptation.