Reforms must not be carried out at the expense of young people

In light of this, the Bundesjugendring warns against a debate that views social infrastructure primarily through the prism of budget cuts. Anyone who bases necessary reforms on short-term cost-saving targets jeopardises the rights, protection and participation of young people and places a burden on future budgets.

The Federal Youth Council also believes it is necessary to ease the financial burden on local authorities and simplify bureaucratic procedures. However, this must not mean weakening services, standards or established structures within child and youth welfare. Youth organisations, youth federations and other independent providers ensure a diverse range of low-threshold, democratic and needs-based services. They must not be viewed as a cost factor, but are part of an effective social infrastructure.

Even the proposals for cuts to child and youth welfare services, which came to light in April, have given not only youth organisations and youth councils cause for serious concern that reforms could have unintended consequences for the entire field of child and youth welfare. Consequently, this paper has attracted a great deal of criticism from young people, experts and politicians alike. When governance, efficiency and budgetary consolidation are allowed to unilaterally set the framework, subsidiarity, pluralism and the participation of young people come under pressure. Good youth policy is not guided primarily by budgetary constraints, but by the needs and rights of young people.

The DBJR is particularly critical of a view of humanity that portrays young people and their families primarily as an administrative and financial burden. Reforms must strengthen rights, safeguard transitions and preserve safe spaces. This applies to all young people, regardless of their background, residence status, disability, social circumstances or place of residence.

The Bundesjugendring calls on the federal and state governments to develop the further implementation of these measures in close consultation with youth organisations, youth councils and other independent providers, as well as with young people themselves. Relieving the burden on local authorities must not come at the cost of cutting services. What is needed is adequate funding, a strong social infrastructure and reforms that take the remit of child and youth welfare seriously. What is needed is adequate funding, a strong social infrastructure and reforms that take the remit of child and youth welfare seriously.