Family association calls for more support for surrogate grandmothers in Lower Austria

Family association calls for more support for surrogate grandmothers in Lower Austria

At the 71st general meeting of the Catholic Family Association in the Diocese of St. Pölten, chairman Peter Pitzinger urgently appealed to the Lower Austrian state government to support the surrogate granny service. According to Pitzinger, in view of the announced 750 million euros for the Lower Austrian childcare offensive, it is incomprehensible why there is no interest in promoting the placement of surrogate grandmas and grandpas in Lower Austria.

“Our application from this year, which only amounts to 20,000 euros, would be of great importance for the expansion and stabilization of our offer,” criticized Pitzinger. There are currently around 160 surrogate grandparents available to support families, but demand significantly exceeds the current supply. The surrogate grandmothers are an invaluable help for parents, especially for flexible care of small children or at off-peak times.

Increased pressure on young families

In view of the Lower Austrian childcare offensive, which enables children from the age of two to be looked after free of charge in kindergartens, the burden on parents tends to increase. Pitzinger calls for parents to have freedom of choice regarding the use of surrogate grandmothers in order to reduce the pressure of having to quickly return to work. “Politics and the economy are putting enormous pressure on young parents to go back to work shortly after the birth, which is not fair,” he added.

In order to improve the situation for parents, Pitzinger advocates extending the so-called “athlete privilege” to babysitters and surrogate grandparents. "Athletes can currently receive up to 720 euros tax-free. We should also introduce this for family childcare," he explains. This recommendation was included in the family policy demands program of the Austrian Catholic Family Association.

Inclusion and support for children with disabilities

Another important aspect that the family association addresses is the challenges of caring for children with disabilities. Pitzinger reported on the difficulties that communities have when deploying support staff in afternoon care. Many mayors shy away from the costs and the necessary support is often not provided. Therefore, the association calls for this responsibility to be transferred to the country to ensure that all children, regardless of their needs, receive the support they are entitled to, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Catholic Family Association's commitment to improving child care and family rights is clear. Attention and support are necessary to meet the challenges faced by young parents and children with disabilities.

For more information on this topic and to follow developments surrounding the surrogate granny service, interested readers can take a look at www.meinkreis.at throw.