German Family Minister Karin Prien Proposes Child Aid Reform and Youth Social Media Rules

Federal Family Minister Karin Prien announced a reform of Germany's child and youth welfare system that will keep school‑aide costs for children with disabilities unchanged for at least eight years. The ministry told the Green parliamentary group that the planned group‑based support solutions will not be fully available in all municipalities and schools within a short time frame, so annual expenditures on existing school aides are not expected to fall. Green MP Denise Loop warned that the changes could shift responsibilities to day‑care and youth‑social work without improving inclusive offerings or staffing, and she criticised claims of multi‑billion‑euro savings as anecdotal.

Prien also outlined a separate initiative to tighten social‑media rules for minors. She supports a ban on platforms for children under 13 and is considering additional measures for ages 13‑16 and 16‑18 that would target the platforms rather than individual users. The minister aims for an EU‑wide solution, planning to present a German draft law by the end of summer as a transitional step toward a European regulation. The proposal includes using the European Digital Identity (EUDI) wallet for age verification, with the legislative process expected to take at least six months and implementation targeted for early next year.