A broad alliance of aid organizations and associations is demanding a strategy against child poverty in Germany from the federal government – and has developed a key issues paper for this purpose. In June 2021, the EU member states committed themselves to guaranteeing all children access to education, care, health care, healthy nutrition and adequate housing by 2030. In order to achieve this goal, the federal states should develop national action plans by March.
involve children and young people
Children and young people must be fully involved in the development of the national action plan for the EU child guarantee, explained the German Children's Fund in Berlin. In addition to the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, other departments should also be involved.
This interdepartmental approach also applies to cooperation between the federal, state and local governments. The alliance also called for local child and youth welfare organizations, civil society and science to be involved in the development.
The 17 signatories to the key issues paper include Arbeiterwohlfahrt, the Child Protection Association, SOS Children's Villages and Unicef Germany.
Eliminate child poverty sustainably
"We have to tackle and eliminate the structural problem of child poverty in Germany in the long term," explained Thomas Krüger, President of the German Children's Fund. The "previous readjustment of smaller screws" is not suitable for this. Needs-based basic child security is necessary. Within the framework of the EU child guarantee, the services and infrastructure for poverty prevention must be fundamentally examined and corresponding realignments tackled, says Krüger.
families with children with disabilities
President Verena Bentele said on behalf of the social association VdK: "A national action plan by the federal government to guarantee children must urgently also take into account the situation of families with children with disabilities. These families are affected by poverty to an above-average extent. No wonder, because the care and support , appointments with therapists and doctors and the fight for legal benefits such as a suitable wheelchair are exhausting and take up a lot of time."
As a result, mothers in particular are often unable to work or are employed part-time. "But their children's disabilities must not make these families poor," stressed Bentele. The VdK therefore calls for special measures to combat poverty in these families in the German action plan for the EU child guarantee.
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