Ampel and Union want to support children of mentally ill parents
In a question, both the Traffic Light and Union parties come to an agreement: In the future, children of sick or psychologically sick parents should receive more support - as the illnesses of their parents can also affect them. This topic is now being discussed in the Bundestag.
According to the report by the Redaction Network Germany, children of psychologically sick parents should in the future receive more therapy options and overall stronger support. This comes from a joint motion of the Traffic Light factions and the Union faction. The corresponding agenda item is already online.
The motion "Strengthen prevention - support children with psychologically or addicted parents" is expected to be passed by the factions this evening, so that the Bundestag can decide on it on Thursday. The corresponding agenda point is already available online.
Parents' illnesses affect children
According to the motion, among other things, the legal framework conditions should be expanded to enable "on-demand therapeutic care to be offered in daycare centers and schools." Such a therapeutic opportunity should then be created if it can be ensured that "the therapeutic care reaches the child (...)."
If parents have a addiction or psychological illness, they are not only affected themselves. "Their children are exposed to various stressors," it says in the draft. According to experts, every fourth child in Germany is affected by this challenge. It is a "societal problem."
The federal government should support young mothers more
A central concern is to "increase the availability of existing offers." The factions also call for more investments in the support of young mothers. The permanent increase in funds for the "Early Help" fund should be examined, "so that a needs-oriented offer of Early Help can be guaranteed nationwide by the federal government."
This refers to offers for parents and children from the beginning of pregnancy. "We want the federal government to permanently increase the funds for this," said the chairwoman of the Family Committee, Ulrike Bahr. Help is best when it starts as early as possible - and the need for help ideally does not even arise.
Furthermore, the factions consider it important to bundle knowledge from the states. This could happen "in the form of a knowledge platform, regular exchange, the anchoring of good advisory and information offers in all federal states, and a nationwide monitoring." For the help system, the federal government, states, and municipalities are jointly responsible, explained Bahr. Therefore, it is also important to communicate better.
- The Union parliamentary group, along with the Traffic Light coalition, has proposed a joint motion to provide more therapy options and support for children of psychologically sick parents.
- According to psychologists, children of addicted or psychologically ill parents often face numerous stressors, making it a significant societal problem that affects around every fourth child in Germany.
- To address this issue, the motion suggests expanding legal frameworks to allow for on-demand therapeutic care in daycare centers and schools, ensuring the child receives necessary therapy.
- The motion also calls for increased support for young mothers, including a review of funds for the "Early Help" fund to ensure nationwide access to early interventions for both parents and children.
