Opposition initiatives against child poverty and violence prevention rejected with reference to measures taken
Vienna (PK) – The opposition parties are insisting on a reform of child care allowance, as they made clear with a joint motion in the Family Affairs Committee. Also high on the agenda: the fight against child poverty. For Minister Susanne Raab, basic child benefit is not the right way. The repair of the “weekly allowance trap” is to be decided on Thursday in the Social Affairs Committee, so a corresponding FPÖ motion for a resolution was postponed.
Raab: “Accidental use of family benefits to combat poverty risk”
Child poverty is at the top of the SPÖ’s family agenda, and the Social Democrats want to counteract it with a “basic child benefit”. The Greens are also “working to ensure that there is a basic child benefit,” confirmed Barbara Neßler (Greens) in the committee meeting. The ÖVP has rejected this, as Family Minister Susanne Raab again emphasized during the debate. “We have a high level of accuracy in using family benefits to combat the risk of poverty,” said the minister. This is also shown by a study by the EU Commission, according to which Austria is the European champion in family benefits, “of course Austria is also well below the EU average in child poverty,” said Raab. The Austrian social benefits system is well developed and there is a “package of measures.” She mentioned, for example, the school start-up package, which was increased from €120 to €150, the increase in the child allowance to €700, the valorization of family allowances and the investment of €4.5 billion by 2030 in the expansion of childcare. It is “self-evident” that social benefits must be higher for families who need “support for a while” and that is what they are. SPÖ MP Petra Wimmer replied that the “status quo” is currently only being consolidated and no improvement is being achieved. The number of children affected by poverty actually increased from 2020 to 2021. The black-green government’s goal of reducing child poverty by 50% is a long way off, said Wimmer. “Childcare is a prerequisite for families to be able to work and is therefore important for combating poverty,” Wimmer said with conviction. Against this background, the Social Democrats tabled a motion for a resolution (4035/A(E)) calling for a legal right to a free childcare place from the age of 1, including smaller groups and a staffing offensive.
Both ÖVP MP Gudrun Kugler and committee chairman Norbert Sieber (ÖVP) doubted whether Germany should be used as a reference model for the legal right to childcare, as mentioned by the SPÖ MP. According to Kugler, costs in Germany have exploded and municipalities are being sued because they cannot meet the legal right. Sieber cited the shortage of staff that also exists in the neighboring country. “We have to solve our staffing problem, then we will talk about the legal right,” said Sieber. Sibylle Hamann (Greens) said: “We have enough trained teachers, but they do not work in the field because the working conditions are not right.” She once again reiterated the Greens’ demand for nationwide minimum standards for pay, group size and staffing ratios. “We want a shift in competence at the federal level,” demanded Hamann. FPÖ family representative Rosa Ecker also spoke out against the legal right demanded by the SPÖ. The same applies to the free, hot lunch that the Social Democrats are calling for in the same motion for children of compulsory school age. If “mom or grandma” cooks at home, then “nobody would pay for it” and these families would go away empty-handed, while others would receive benefits in kind. The NEOS are also calling for a hot meal in all childcare facilities and schools with public law in their own motion (2394/A(E)). ÖVP representative Kugler submitted the motion to postpone the meeting because the competences in this regard are shared between the states, municipalities and the federal government. It was passed with the votes of the ÖVP and the Greens. The SPÖ motion was also postponed by the coalition parties.
In a motion for a resolution, NEOS also called on the government to reform maintenance security (2257/A(E)). In order to eliminate child poverty, the legal loopholes must be closed, as it primarily affects single parents, said NEOS representative Michael Bernhard. The motion was postponed. Gudrun Kugler (ÖVP) agreed, “we are making intensive efforts to complete the reform during this legislative period.”
Second compulsory kindergarten year is not a priority
Regarding childcare, NEOS MP Bernhard asked about the second compulsory year of kindergarten, which had been announced by the coalition in the past. Raab: “Almost 97% of four-year-olds are now in kindergarten. We are investing in an area where we are only at 32% – two-year-olds.” At the moment, they are trying to “reach the area” for children under three, as the need here is “so increasing.” For her, however, the idea is still “interesting.” Here, too, she referred to the €500 million annually that would be made available for expansion through the Future Fund. Eva Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ) replied that the social partners had seen €1 billion as a target here. She then asked how communities that are leaving the kindergarten could be supported in expanding childcare, as these often fail due to a lack of financial resources. The minister explained that the €4.5 billion up to 2030 was not tied to whether a municipality grew or not, but that she was convinced that well-developed childcare would lead to a locational advantage and therefore also protect against people leaving. They also support cross-municipal projects. “It is necessary that there are transfers of children between municipalities,” said Raab.
Fathers’ participation should be increased
During the debate, NEOS MP Michael Bernhard also asked about the activities regarding shared care work, because the number of shared parental leave has recently been declining. “We have made an effort,” the minister stressed. For example, the family time bonus has been doubled and now valorized to €1,600 per month, and the additional income limit has been increased. In addition, awareness-raising campaigns have been launched. In a motion for a resolution, the Social Democrats are calling for a package of measures (2281/A(E)) to increase fathers’ participation. There are several levers: For example, a general reduction in working hours or the introduction of a family working time model, as proposed by the Chamber of Labor. Fathers want to participate more, but household income is an issue, said Eva Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ).
In principle, the model of family working hours as a supplement to parental leave is viewed positively, said Green Party representative Neßler. For FPÖ representative Ecker, relying on part-time work for men to increase father participation is not the solution. The “known disadvantages” would then be shifted from women to men, she explained. The SPÖ motion was postponed with a black-green majority.
Opposition pushes for removal of hurdles to child care allowance
The opposition parties are pushing for reforms to childcare allowance. Four motions were on the agenda. “It is a very important source of income for families,” said Petra Wimmer (SPÖ). Therefore, access to it and the decision on which model to choose should be made as simple as possible, the representative explained. With a joint motion for a resolution, the SPÖ, FPÖ and NEOS are therefore calling for a reform (3422/A(E)). With another SPÖ motion (3802/A(E)), the Social Democrats are campaigning for the eligibility requirements for the income-related childcare allowance to be made easier. Currently, it is required that you have to be in employment 182 days before the expected date of birth, which is not possible for many, said Wimmer. The period under review should be extended to one year. ÖVP MP Johanna Jachs – who had her baby with her at the committee meeting – said that there are already ways to cushion hardship cases, so an extension would not be “effective”. For FPÖ MP Rosa Ecker, the entitlement period should definitely be extended. She also pointed out that ignorance and incorrect advice lead to harm for parents. Jachs replied that the child care allowance offers many options and is therefore flexible for families, which makes it more complex, but overall the majority of families are satisfied. She referred to a study by the Austrian Institute for Family Research. Jachs submitted a motion for postponement, which was accepted by a majority of the coalition partners. The two other motions by SPÖ (1818/A(E)) and NEOS (1481/A(E)) on child care allowance concerned “problems with payment” when the parents live in different EU countries. Families often have to wait months for a payment, and in hardship cases even years, the party representatives said. Minister Raab said that the problem was known at EU level and that “positive processes were underway”. These initiatives were also postponed.
Protection from violence through campaign, seal of approval for abuse prevention
The discussion also included the federal government’s violence protection campaign, which was launched in April. A budget of €2 million has been set aside for this, and the campaign will run “primarily until the summer,” explained State Secretary Claudia Plakolm. The aim is to sensitize all generations to violence and encourage children and young people to seek help.
The Freedom Party is insisting on a seal of approval for all employees in the child and youth care sector, which would have to include training requirements and a lifelong ban on employment in this area for former sex offenders (2712/A(E)). ÖVP MP Carina Reiter replied that there was a Council of Ministers resolution of January 23, 2023, in which measures to protect against violence were decided – such as the establishment of the Child Protection Quality Assurance Office. It “should” start work at the beginning of 2025, said Reiter. “We know that on average one child in every class is affected by sexual abuse,” emphasized Barbara Neßler (Greens), but they want a package that protects against every form of violence. The ban on convicted sex offenders working has already been implemented, said the Green MP. Child protection concepts are to be established in schools, and this should become mandatory with the coming school year. The clubs are currently relying on voluntary participation. Neßler’s motion for postponement was accepted with the votes of the green-black coalition.
Repair of the “weekly allowance trap” announced
Also on the agenda was a motion by FPÖ MP Rosa Ecker on maternity allowance (3500/A(E)). In principle, women who become pregnant again during their maternity leave would only be entitled to it if they were still receiving childcare allowance, said the MP. Barbara Neßler (Greens) announced: “We have fixed the maternity allowance trap, or will do so.” This will be discussed in the Social Affairs Committee on Thursday. The MP assumes that it will be approved.
During the debate, the MPs asked several questions, which the minister did not answer, pointing out that responsibility lay with the states or other departments. For example, the question from SPÖ representative Christian Oxonitsch about what was happening with the 217 unaccompanied minor refugees in federal care, whose accommodation represented a violation of children’s rights, or that from NEOS MP Fiona Fiedler. She asked about the announced better protection for foster parents in crisis situations. (End of Family Committee) map
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