The introduction of parental allowance is intended to ensure more births and to make parenting work between men and women more equitable. According to a study, this only works to a limited extent even 15 years after its introduction. Fathers often hold back – mothers often feel the disadvantage later in their jobs.
According to a study, the parental allowance introduced 15 years ago has brought little progress in the distribution of parental care time. “Fathers hardly ever assume sole responsibility for childcare,” is one conclusion of the study by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB). Despite many successes in the course of the introduction of parental allowance, mothers still carry the main part of the family work.
Parental allowance was introduced for parents born on or after January 1, 2007. As an “income replacement benefit” after the birth of a child, it was intended to create a safe space for young families and enable more women to work and share childcare between partners.
Since then, the compatibility of family and work has improved in many respects, according to the BiB study. But it also shows that not all successes have an effect beyond the parental leave of mothers and fathers.
According to the study, the parental allowance increased the labor force participation of mothers of children under the age of three from 43 to 56 percent. The proportion of fathers who receive parental allowance also increased to 43 percent. “A noticeable success,” emphasized one of the authors of the study, Sophia Schmitz. But in addition to these successes, it is evident that only about every tenth father takes more than the two “father months” to complete.
Most fathers are on parental leave at the same time as their partners, and sole responsibility for childcare is still rare. Even if fathers who receive parental allowance for more than two months contribute a little more in the long term, mothers continue to do most of the childcare and housework. “Beyond the first few months of the child’s life, there has been little further progress in the division of family work since the introduction of parental allowance,” summed up co-author Mathias Huebener.
Despite increased employment participation, mothers sometimes experience career disadvantages after parental leave. Participation in the labor market “does not necessarily lead to success in the labor market,” according to the study. This is evidenced by the loss of professional prestige that women experience after parental leave. On the other hand, fathers tend to show an increase in professional prestige – even after longer periods of parental leave. “Here it becomes clear how important it is to also look at professional prestige,” explained co-author Uta Brehm.
Parental allowance is an income replacement benefit of around 67 percent of prenatal income. It amounts to a minimum of 300 euros and a maximum of 1800 euros per month and is paid to the caring parent for up to twelve months after the birth of the child.
Parents receive two additional months of parental allowance if both parents receive parental allowance for at least two months. Since mid-2015, with the introduction of ElterngeldPlus, there has also been the option of drawing half the amount of Elterngeld over twice the duration.