The childcare systems in the former East and West Germany were very different. In the GDR, public childcare was part of the state education system. Childcare in nurseries and kindergartens was free of charge for parents, with the exception of a small contribution towards meals. In the old Federal Republic of Germany, public childcare was part of the child and youth welfare sector. Childcare was primarily organized privately by families, and mothers continued to be the primary caregivers. Until today, these differences in childcare for children under the age of 3 clearly mark the boundary between East and West Germany - in the former GDR, the percentage of young children cared for in crèches and kindergartens is still significantly higher than in West German states. By contrast, these divisions have become almost invisible for children aged 3 and older, the majority of whom attend kindergartens and day care.