Around 367 euros per month

SPÖ presents model for basic child protection

SPÖ party leader Andreas Babler(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

On Monday, the SPÖ (Social Democratic Party of Austria) and Volkshilfe (People's Aid) jointly promoted their model for a basic child benefit. In addition to a free basic infrastructure such as free lunches in educational institutions and free vacation offers, there would be a universal amount of 367 euros per month, which would combine the existing family benefits. According to the SPÖ, an income-related benefit of around 312 euros per month would be added to this.

According to party leader Andreas Babler, the additional expenditure for this would be 1.2 billion euros, which is much less than the 17 billion euros that child poverty currently costs the Republic every year. The SP chairman referred to health problems, for example, which increasingly affect children and young people from low-income families. If your heart is already missing, your brain should tell you that basic child protection would make sense.

Volkshilfe Managing Director Erich Fenninger and Babler at the press conference(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

SPÖ: Child poverty could be reduced by 40 percent
Every fifth child in Austria is affected by poverty, Babler explained. 500,000 children could benefit from basic income support. Child poverty could be reduced by 40 percent.

Volkshilfe boss: Poverty also a psychological burden
Erich Fenninger, Managing Director of Volkshilfe, emphasized that children are affected by poverty even more often than adults. If daily life is not sufficiently financed, the home is not adequately heated in winter and the clothes are worn out, this is also highly psychologically stressful. Basic security would also result in a reduction in somatic illnesses, which in turn would lead to fewer days of absence from school and therefore better chances of educational success.