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Daycare room with chairs raised up (symbolic image): Several criminal charges filed
Photo: Friso Gentsch/dpa
A daycare center in Cologne is currently being protected by a security service - according to the city, the trigger was a conflict with the parents of two children in care. The problems arose in the recent past, a spokeswoman reported on Tuesday. Attempts were made to clear up the situation in discussions with the family in the interests of the children, but without success.
Due to the “highly problematic behavior, especially from one of the two parents,” there was even a police operation in the facility. Employees felt threatened. “As a precautionary measure and to further protect employees, a security service has been installed until further notice,” said the spokeswoman. The “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” reported.
The Cologne police confirmed that there was an operation at the daycare center in the Mülheim district of Cologne in December. Several criminal complaints have now been filed in the complex, including threats to daycare staff. The investigation was ongoing.
Spit on, insulted, pushed and threatened
According to the city, which runs the facility, the daycare center even had to close for four days in February because the entire care staff called in sick - because of the feeling of threat. During this time there was only emergency care. However, operations are now running normally again. The parents of the two children were banned from entering the house. The siblings themselves could no longer attend the facility.
Nothing is yet known about the reasons for the conflict. According to information from the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger”, there have been problems with the family whose children were new to the facility since September 2023. There are said to have been several incidents in which employees within the daycare center were spat on, insulted, pushed and threatened.
sun/dpa