Minister calls for improvements to basic child protection
Saarland Social Affairs Minister Magnus Jung (SPD) is calling for improvements to be made to the federal government's draft bill on the introduction of basic child benefits. "If no fundamental changes are made, there is a possibility that the Saarland could appeal to the mediation committee in the further process," he told the German Press Agency on Thursday. On Friday, the law will be discussed in the first round in the Bundesrat.
The basic child protection is intended to bring together various financial benefits such as child benefit, citizen's allowance, social assistance, child supplement and benefits from the education and participation package. The project was controversial in the federal government led by the SPD, Greens and FDP.
In Saarland, almost one in five children is currently at risk of poverty, said Jung. In principle, he welcomed the federal government's initiative to improve opportunities for children and young people and combat child poverty. "However, the law on the introduction of basic child protection still does not meet our expectations." He sees an urgent need for improvement.
If a majority in the Bundesrat calls in the joint mediation committee of the Bundestag and Bundesrat, the law would be halted for the time being. If the committee then proposes a different resolution to that of the Bundestag, the law would have to go through parliament again.
Jung called for education and participation benefits to be paid out as a lump sum and for the costs to be fully covered by the federal government instead of being transferred to the federal states as planned. Low-threshold advice options are also needed. The planned family service at the Federal Employment Agency would mean only one location with local advice for the whole of Saarland.
The minister also criticized the fact that applicants would still have up to four different contact persons according to the current draft law. "The planned simplification of the application process is therefore not a given." In practice, those affected would only receive slightly more support as a result of the basic child benefit. In order to combat poverty in the long term, more is needed - be it benefits or infrastructure.
According to Jung, the law should also come into force gradually so that the administration can be adapted in good time. "If we don't succeed in lifting children out of poverty, not only will the children have to bear the consequences of poverty for the rest of their lives, but so will the state," warned Jung. In the end, this will cost the state more.
The Saarland Government, led by Social Affairs Minister Magnus Jung, is expressing concerns about the federal government's draft bill on basic child benefits, expressing a possibility of appealing to the mediation committee due to lack of fundamental changes. Despite welcoming the federal government's initiative to combat child poverty, Jung believes the proposed law falls short of expectations and necessitates improvements, such as fully covering the costs of education and participation benefits at the federal level and providing low-threshold advice options.
Source: www.dpa.com
