Paid leave for fathers after birth

B.and Family Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) has announced paid leave for parents immediately after the birth of a child. “We will be introducing the new option that one parent – mostly the fathers – can stay with the family for the first two weeks after the birth with a full salary. So far, it has often been difficult to save days for this, ”said Spiegel of the newspaper“ Rheinische Post ”.

In addition, more months of parental allowance should be made possible for couples who split up parental leave. “We want to give more support when couples see childcare as an equal task,” said Spiegel.

Spiegel also announced relief for family carers. “We also want to enable people who care for relatives to take a professional break through family care leave,” she continued. “For this we want to create a service similar to the parental allowance,” said the Green politician.

Show children more appreciation in the pandemic

In the Corona crisis, Spiegel wants to work to ensure that children get more recognition. “The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs has already put together a corona catch-up package worth one billion euros so that children can experience more sport, culture and leisure time again. But I am open to the fact that there will also be further recognition for the solidarity of the children in the pandemic. For example in the form of a zoo voucher or something similar, “she told the newspaper.

“What annoys me are hasty attempts to make child vaccination compulsory,” said Spiegel. Such discussions should not be conducted “on the back of the children”. “Children show a lot of understanding and solidarity. They are not the drivers of the pandemic, “said the Federal Minister for Family Affairs. Unvaccinated adults are what bring the hospitals to their capacity limits. “There is nothing wrong with that,” said the Green politician.

She has the impression that anti-vaccination campaigners are also becoming more radical towards children. “I’ve heard several times that children were harassed on the way to school because they were wearing their masks. During a vaccination campaign at a high school in my hometown, the police had to offer protection because anti-vaccination campaigners protested against it on the spot. Such pressure on children and their families is absolutely unacceptable, “said Spiegel.