Germany and Austria adopt new measures to support single parents

In Germany, the Federal Court of Justice ruled that the current child‑support system does not allow the reduction of bar‑support by a parent’s caregiving share, prompting calls for legislative amendment in the draft Children’s Rights Modernisation Act (KiMoG). A survey by the interests group ISUV found 83 % of separated parents favour a joint reform of custody and maintenance law, with many describing the existing system as unfair.

In Austria, the Bundesrat approved a support fund for single‑parent families. The measure provides a monthly payment of roughly €240 per child, funded up to €35 million a year, and is intended for parents who receive no maintenance or orphan’s pension, or whose maintenance claims are untenable. The law also introduces a legal right to have a trusted person accompany medical assessments. The fund aims to address poverty among single‑parent households, which are predominantly women.