Social system
More poor kids in a rich country like Germany
Not only is the economy in Germany is growing. Also, child poverty is greater. The findings of a new study. Blame it on a wrong family policy.
What it takes for a good, happy Childhood? Unlike in many countries of the world there is a lack of in Germany, fortunately, not necessary for Survival. Something to eat, a roof over your head, winter clothing, medicines, free education – these basic needs are here, of course.
But also in Germany, many children grow up increasingly, which – compared with the General life circumstances as poor. This is the result of a recent study published by the Bertelsmann Foundation. It says: Nearly two million poor children now live in Germany – more than five years ago. As poor children whose parents are unemployed and therefore to state the basic protection, the so-called “Hartz IV-amount”, are instructed to apply. The data are taken from statistics of the Federal employment Agency as well as a long-term study of Poverty impacts on children and young people.
No private rooms, no healthy teeth
But what is the meaning of “child poverty” in one of the richest countries in the world? “The affected children have to do without many things”, says Anette Stein in an interview with DW. She is an expert on family policy at the Bertelsmann Foundation.
Social participation – poor children are more likely to live in isolation
The waiver begins: poor children often have no private room and no retreat for school work. You eat worse, because instead of fruits and vegetables, more Fast Food on the table. Among other things, this makes them sick more often. Add to that: children from poor homes are more likely to be “socially isolated”, as it says in the study. There is money for school trips, sports clubs or music lessons is missing, for example.
Vicious Circle Of Poverty
All of this has a particularly negative impact on educational opportunities. “Your entire educational biography is clearly more problematic than in the case of children, the living conditions in secured income”, family policy expert stone.
Once poor, always poor – this equation is not true necessarily. Of course, many low-income parents encourage their offspring, as well as it goes. But often, entrenched poverty. “The longer children live in poverty, the higher the risk that the influences your fate is negative,” says Anette stone. Still children from Hartz-IV-households in universities rather than the exception.
In the school bags of the poor children eat is often lacking. More rarely, high level of education achieved qualifications
Risk-of-poverty single parent
The study shows that Especially daughters are affected, and sons of single parents and children growing up with two and more siblings. In addition, it also appears to play a role, where you grow up. Generally speaking, In the rich southern Germany, the poverty risk is significantly lower than in industrially weaker areas such as in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Another result was that Approximately every fifth child in East Germany, grows up in poverty. Sad is the front runner in Berlin. Almost every third capital of a child is considered poor. A much better Start in life for children in Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg have: not even every tenth child poverty is affected.
“A policy which thinks of the child”
Anette stone of the Bertelsmann Foundation looks at the state of the obligation. It’ll been a lot of talk about family policy, some of them done: “But, obviously, not all of this,” says stone. The main problem is the calculation of the social assistance rates. So far, the Hartz-IV-sets, the apply for unemployed adults, to children.
“Children are not small adults”, writes stone. The financial support should be tailored to the needs of children. Thus, children needed to have access to culture facilities and various education – nursery and school alone, it was not done, says the expert. Your claim: “We need a policy which thinks of the child.”
Basic security – poor children receive far too little money, criticize social associations
The children are increasing the poverty in a rich country like Germany, is not fundamentally new. The Bertelsmann study makes clear, however, that all the state measures are so far into the Void. A similar result of the latest report on poverty in different social associations in Germany. A “demand-dependent, life-sustaining children’s money” is also required.
What constitutes a happy Childhood – at the purse of the parents of the it is certainly impossible to measure. However, the sum of the Waivers – no organic food, no football club, no piano lessons, no tutoring, no family vacation, no stays abroad – makes quite a difference.
Hardly a difference, the criticism of the President of the German children’s Fund, Thomas Krueger, the recent proposal of the Federal Finance is likely to make Minister: Wolfgang Schaeuble wants to raise the children’s money in a month to two Euro per child.