Potsdam mayor criticized for denying daycare to severely disabled child

In Potsdam, the city administration under Mayor Noosha Aubel – elected in October 2025 with 72.9 % of the vote – is accused of failing to provide a legally mandated preschool place for a two‑year‑old child who has a 100 % disability rating and care level 4. German law (SGB VIII) guarantees such children a place in a daycare with necessary personal assistance, and the Oberverwaltungsgericht Berlin‑Brandenburg ordered the state to secure a local spot within five weeks, deeming travel times over 30 minutes unreasonable.

Investigations reveal a series of delays, unlawful refusals, and evasive responses from the city’s press office. The family argues this is not an isolated incident; the child’s older sister was also denied a place in 2022 despite a similar disability rating. The parents plan to pursue state liability claims and may take the case to the European Court of Human Rights, citing violations of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the European Convention on Human Rights.

The dispute highlights tensions between local government obligations, inclusive education policies, and the practical capacity of social services in Brandenburg.