Family carer: mom is sick! And now?

If one parent becomes seriously ill and the other cannot look after their child, those with statutory health insurance have the right to a family carer. This requirement has also been anchored in law since the beginning of 2016. We asked Diana Günster from the KDFB (Familienpflegewerk of the Bavarian State Association of the Catholic German Women's Association) what parents are now entitled to.

What does the law change for families?

You now have a legal right to “family care”, that is to say to practical help, if the parent who mainly looks after the child falls ill and the other cannot step in. This also applies to single parents. Before that, each health insurance company could determine for itself whether and for how long a family received support in the form of family care according to its statutes.

Is the duration now also stipulated by law?

Yes: Family care takes four weeks in any case, if necessary up to 26 weeks – provided that children in the family who are not older than twelve have to be looked after.

What specific conditions do parents have to meet in order to be paid for domestic help?

You need a medical certificate from the attending physician stating how seriously the insured person is ill and how long the illness is likely to last. You can use this to submit an application for domestic help to the health insurance company. In the application it must be stated that the spouse or life partner has a job and therefore cannot look after the children.

What if both parents are employed and share childcare?

The sick parent submits an application for domestic help to their health insurance company. A family carer takes care of the children and the household when the other partner is not present.

Can the health fund require that the other parent take leave to look after the children?

No. The working parent does not have to take a vacation for this, because the vacation should serve his relaxation.

Do the grandparents have to step in?

No, not that either. It is true that the application also asks whether there are other childcare options. But grandparents cannot be made compulsory.

What exactly does his family carer perform?

It is your job to keep the family system running normally as much as possible. She cooks, takes care of the household, looks after the children, does their homework with them if necessary, accompanies them to their leisure courses or other appointments. Family carers are also trained to give comfort – for example, if the mother or father has cancer.

Do you have to pay something?

Yes. The co-payment amount is at least five and a maximum of ten euros per day. Hartz IV recipients can apply for an exemption from co-payments at the health insurance company. If the illness is related to pregnancy or childbirth, for example in the case of high-risk pregnancies or after a caesarean section, the benefit is free of charge.

How do we find a family carer quickly in an emergency?

Let the health insurance company send you a list of providers of family care in your region together with the application form. Once you have found an available family carer, the provider's head of operations can already plan the deployment. So you do not lose any time until the health insurance company has confirmed it. More information at www.familienpflegewerk.de

This article originally appeared on Eltern.de.