A German politician, Serpil Midyatli, the Schleswig-Holstein SPD chair, is advocating for the establishment of a state-run family agency, where all government offers would be bundled together, making it easier for families to access the services they are entitled to. According to Midyatli, many benefits for families are not being utilized because they are not well-known or are too complex.
The proposed agency would serve as a one-stop-shop, where families could apply for all the benefits they are eligible for, under the motto “one stop, everything in.” Applications should be able to be made fully digitally or, ideally, automatically, Midyatli said, citing the example of child allowance. It is incomprehensible that parents would need to submit an application for this benefit at government offices after the birth of a child, she added.
Midyatli emphasized that managing a family, especially with young children, is a “full-time job” and that the state should “do everything to make family life easier.” The politician, known for her family policy, has previously advocated for reducing income taxes for parents and providing free meals in kindergarten and school.