Germany's child participation benefits underused across states

A Bertelsmann Stiftung analysis shows that only a small fraction of children entitled to the Bildungs‑ und Teilhabepaket actually receive the €15 monthly allowance. Nationwide, about 18 % of eligible 6‑ to 14‑year‑olds and 12 % of 15‑ to 17‑year‑olds draw the benefit, far below the intended coverage. Bavaria records the lowest uptake – 16.4 % for younger children and 10.2 % for older ones – while North‑Rhine‑Westphalia leads with 80.2 % using the school‑supply grant, 38.5 % benefiting from school‑meal subsidies and 21.2 % receiving cultural‑participation aid. Thüringen is at the bottom, with only 10.3 % and 4.8 % respectively. The foundation attributes the shortfall to complex application procedures, bureaucratic hurdles and low awareness, quoting expert Antje Funcke: “The low use is not because there is no need, but because the amount is small and the process is cumbersome.” It calls for simpler, possibly automatic, disbursements. In parallel, North‑Rhine‑Westphalia has extended a hardship fund (“Alle Kinder essen mit”) that can grant up to €1,080 per child for meals and €150 for trips, aiming to alleviate the impact of the broader system’s shortcomings.