Frankfurt am Main, 23 April 2026. The Internationaler Bund (IB) strongly protests against the proposed blanket cuts in the area of Child and Youth Welfare (KJH) and Integration Assistance (EGH) that are currently being discussed. It is unacceptable that, isolated from the professional public, a working group consisting of the federal government, the states, and municipal associations has developed a “proposal book” on the topic. Under the title of “efficient use of resources,” this document identifies potential savings.
The paper, made public by the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband, does not take into account any consequential effects, disregards UN conventions, and already suggests in its title that funds in both KJH and EGH have been widely wasted so far. In addition, the document completely rejects the merging of EGH for young people with KJH, thereby rendering the entire legislative process absurd.
“As an independent provider of youth, social, and educational work, the IB supports both professionally and structurally a needs-based development, particularly in KJH and EGH. Effective and efficient use of resources is a matter of course for us. However, this must not lead to disadvantages for beneficiaries nor to a weakening of the solidarity community.”
The IB President Petra Merkel
Proposed cuts undermine legislative process
The paper appears particularly incomprehensible in the context of the parallel legislative process of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs regarding the planned merger of Child and Youth Welfare with Integration Assistance for young people. In this context, the ministry had asked associations to submit their statements by mid-April 2026. The IB, among others, made use of this opportunity. While the associations submitted their statements, media reports made the independently developed “proposal book,” created outside the official reform process, publicly known. It contains far-reaching cuts, particularly in KJH and EGH. The document was prepared within the Federal Chancellery – without the knowledge or involvement of the professional public.
“We call for taking cooperation within the shared responsibility structure seriously and for focusing on potential savings, particularly through reducing bureaucracy via nationwide regulations, instead of pursuing far-reaching cuts affecting beneficiaries,” said Petra Merkel.