At the weekend, the federal government will discuss the planned basic child security in the cabinet meeting. So far there has been no agreement in the coalition on a budget for the central family policy project of the legislative period. “It is now a matter of providing adequate funds for a successful reform in favor of children and families,” says Archbishop Dr. Heiner Koch, Chairman of the Commission for Marriage and Family of the German Bishops’ Conference. The President of the Family Association of Catholics, Ulrich Hoffmann, explained that fighting child poverty and improving the chances of children and young people are important investments for the future: “Whoever saves on children pays significantly higher follow-up costs later on.”
For years it has not been possible to reduce child poverty
The Catholic associations emphasize that the goals pursued with basic child security cannot be achieved without additional financial resources. It doesn’t matter whether it’s about the goal of improving the use of family benefits pursued with the bundling of benefits or about the goal of fighting poverty: neither is to be had for free.
The associations point out that it has not been possible to reduce child and youth poverty for years. Studies have shown time and again that every fifth child in Germany is at risk of poverty. A total of 2.9 million children are affected. The current price increases as a result of the overlapping crises aggravate the situation of families and hit poor families particularly hard. After the contact restrictions and school closures caused by the pandemic, many children and young people have educational deficits, especially those from lower-income families. The participation and development opportunities for children and young people in Germany still depend to a large extent on the resources of the individual families.
Current plans worsen the situation of single parents
Against this background, the Catholic associations and Archbishop Koch consider it urgently necessary that the planned family policy reform leads to higher benefits for children and, in particular, better support for poor families and those on low incomes. “Money has to be spent on this,” explains Beate Schwittay, national chairwoman of the Catholic workers’ movement. “The basic child security must not be counter-financed by cuts elsewhere and become a zero-sum game for families.” Renate Jachmann-Willmer, head of the social service for Catholic women, thinks that the whole association is questionable eVthat, of all things, there is a risk of deterioration for single parents on the basis of the current plans, for example if the advance maintenance payment is to be fully offset against the additional amount for basic child security.
Caritas: “Basic child security is child protection”
The long-standing demands of the Catholic associations that the standard requirements according to the key points draft of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, which has become known, should in future be more strongly oriented towards the budget expenditures of the middle of society. Eva Maria Welskop-Deffaa, President of the German Caritas Association, confirms: “Securing basic child security means securing children’s opportunities. A government that is committed to social justice and change must primarily ensure that children and young people are treated equally, regardless of their parents’ income chances of life growing up.”
Supporting people and associations:
dr Heiner Koch, Archbishop of Berlin
Working Group for Catholic Family Education (AKF)
German Caritas Association e. V. (CVD)
Family Association of Catholics (Federal Association) e. V.
Catholic Workers’ Movement (KAB Deutschlands e. V.)
Catholic German Women’s Association (KDFB)
Social service of catholic women general association e. V. (SkF)
SKM Federal association registered association
