One of the benefits of public insurance is that children are covered at no additional cost. Children are also exempt from the €10 quarterly fee for visiting the doctor and their prescriptions are always covered in their entirety. Those with private insurance will have to take out an extra policy on your children but then everything will be looked after unless you’ve agreed a reduced rate.

The best place to find a paediatrician is through friends or your children’s schoolmates. If you’ve just had a baby in Berlin, ask a midwife for a recommendation – they’re usually aware of who the best doctors are in the various districts. It’s up to you to pick a doctor for your children and if you’re not happy, you can change.

Germany has done away with mandatory vaccinations, but your doctor will likely push you to immunise your child against a raft of diseases. Because many vaccinations are given in one injection, it’s hard to pick and choose which vaccinations your child may receive. The body that advises the German government on vaccinations recommends children under 1 receive injections against whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, haemophilus influenza B, hepatitis B, polio and pneumococcal pneumonia. After that, the panel recommends immunisations against chickenpox and meningitis. The group also suggests the vaccination for measles, mumps and rubella for kids over 1, though this particular injection has come under fire recently. Some doctors recommend waiting to give this vaccination until your child has reached school age. Since vaccinations are voluntary, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the various immunisations and which you’d prefer for your child.