Berlin, 27 August 2019 – The associations united in the AGF support the demands of the Independent Advisory Council for the Reconciliation of Long Term Care and Work, whose report was published today. In particular, they emphasise the importance of a care leave with adequate financial compensation.
The Independent Advisory Council on Reconciliation of Care and Work has developed many helpful measures for action. “In particular, the introduction of a 36-month caregiver leave that includes adequate monetary compensation is at the forefront,” said Ulrich Hoffmann, vice chair of the AGF. “After the introduction of parental allowance, the introduction of such a measure would be another milestone for the reconciliation of family and work and a big step towards the recognition of caregiving services in families,” supports Sven Iversen, AGF Managing Director. The AGF proposes that all caring relatives receive this compensation as a lumb sum in the same amount in order to recognise the services of carers equally, regardless of their profession. Regardless of this, it remains important to create more incentives for a fair distribution of care work between men and women.
The family organisations emphasise that families are confronted with special challenges when they have to provide long term care. These often arise suddenly and unexpectedly, and the duration and intensity of care cannot be planned. “In this situation, families need reliable and systematic support as well as reliable time resources,” emphasises Sven Iversen. This makes it necessary to strengthen society’s responsibility for care. The focus of care efforts must be on the individuals, those in need of care as well as those providing care, with their respective needs. A whole bundle of measures is necessary for this, whereby an improvement of the possibilities to reconcile care tasks and work is an important component. The Advisory Council has made important proposals for this, which the AGF hopes will be supported by society as a whole in the coming months and years.