Foster families to be strengthened: Minister: 'Foster parents are not second-class parents'

Rhineland-Palatinate's Minister of Family and Social Affairs, Sabine Bätzing-Lichtenthäler, is initiating a dialogue to bolster the rights and support for foster children and their caregivers. The initiative, set to launch in early 2027, aims to gather practical feedback from foster children, foster parents, and relevant organizations.

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We need to achieve a different balance there.

The minister highlighted that approximately 5,000 foster children reside in Rhineland-Palatinate, a number that has nearly doubled over the past two decades and remains high. "We therefore need a correspondingly large number of foster families; the demand remains consistently high," Bätzing-Lichtenthäler stated, emphasizing the ongoing need for foster homes.

A key focus of the minister's advocacy is ensuring foster parents receive parental allowance, not just parental leave. "Foster parents are not second-class parents. They do first-class work and take responsibility," she asserted, arguing that those who take on such responsibility should have corresponding rights.

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Foster parents are not second-class parents. They do first-class work and take responsibility.

While many regulations are federal, Bätzing-Lichtenthäler intends to improve local support and push for federal progress. She pointed out that foster parents often handle the daily care and challenges for children, including those with trauma, yet have limited say in significant decisions like school changes. "We need to achieve a different balance there," she said, stressing that strong support for foster parents is essential to attract more individuals to this vital role, ultimately benefiting the foster children.

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We therefore need a correspondingly large number of foster families; the demand remains consistently high.