Diakonia President Rüdiger Schuch has criticized the proposed austerity measures introduced by Federal Minister for Families, Karin Prien (CDU). Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday edition), he stated that to improve the support system for child maintenance allowances, measures are needed to ensure payments are enforced against those who fail to pay.
Schuch argued that imposing service limitations for single parents and their children is the wrong approach, pointing out that such cuts affect people who are already under significant strain. Looking at the reform plans for childcare and youth welfare, he warned that there is a risk that manageable crises could lead to highly complex aid scenarios, resulting in costly follow-up expenses for society as a whole. According to him, prevention and child protection should remain the top priority.
Diakonia maintains that the focus must be on providing support that is individualized, needs-based, and precisely tailored to the people affected. “For us, the individual human being is the focal point,” Schuch asserted.
Minister Prien’s plans include reducing the child maintenance allowance and shifting the focus in youth welfare towards group offerings rather than individual assistance. Cuts concerning school support services, in particular, are attracting fierce criticism.
