The free family counseling as part of the new parent-child pass officially started on Friday. For now, the offer is voluntary, but it may later become mandatory. About half of the 400 existing family counseling centers in Austria currently offer counselling. After a year, the offer will be assessed by an external research institute, said Family Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) during a visit to an institution.
The consultation should cover topics such as parental leave, maternity leave, childcare allowance, papa month, the consequences of part-time work for pensions, pension splitting and return to work. “Getting older is really like learning a new profession,” says Claudia Verluis, director of the Nanaya facility in Vienna, where Raab visited. The minister wants not only mothers but also fathers to be able to make use of the advice in the future.
Parental guidance should be mandatory
If Raab has his way, parental advice, such as ultrasound examinations, should be firmly anchored in the mother-child relationship in the future. There are no details yet. Nevertheless, the minister is confident that the voluntary pilot phase will be successful.
“Ultimately, all parents want the same thing, namely that their child is doing well,” said the minister. The advice also has a strong women’s policy aspect: freedom of choice only exists if all information is available.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
