- Commissioner wants relief for neighbourhood workers
Neighborhood helpers who support care-dependent individuals at home or accompany them to the doctor should, in the view of Thuringia's Ombudsman Kurt Herzberg, not be required to attend a mandatory care course. "This is an example of unnecessary bureaucracy," explained Herzberg. He cannot understand why such tasks require the completion of a care course. "The Ministry of Social Affairs should scrap the requirement to complete a care course."
Neighborhood helpers have been able to support caregivers who often reach their limits due to caregiving since April 2023. They can, for example, accompany care-dependent individuals to doctor's appointments, go for walks with them, or support them in filling out forms. They must be officially registered with the care insurance funds to receive a compensation of 125 euros.
Herzberg advocates for extending the transition rule until mid-2025. Unfortunately, there are still not enough courses available, he criticized. "Consequence for the already active neighborhood helpers: they will lose their authorization by the end of the year if they have not completed a course by then, and the care-dependent individuals will lose their helpers."
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Social Affairs explained: "At the moment, the course offer is being significantly expanded and an eLearning offer is also being developed." In addition, the responsible care insurance funds want to make the offers more accessible. Basically, the courses are justified because they provide the helpers with "equipment". Whether the transition solution will be extended will be shown by a status analysis in the fall. The ministry is open to this because it is important that there are not fewer neighborhood helpers in action after the turn of the year.
Despite the Ministry's efforts to expand the course offer and develop an eLearning option, Herzberg argues that the current requirement for neighborhood helpers to complete a care course is still a barrier to social policy. He suggests that the Ministry of Social Affairs should reconsider the necessity of this prerequisite, as it may inadvertently lead to a reduction in the number of active neighborhood helpers.
