In their paper “Facilitating Transitions Between Life Phases – Progress and Remaining Challenges in German Family Policy”, Dr. Fabian Mushövel and Prof. Dr. Anton Hemerijck analyze the role of family policy as a central flow policy within the Social Investment approach. They argue that social policy should not only serve as a safety net but be understood as an investment in human capabilities and, consequently, in economic growth.
The authors show that Germany has implemented major reforms with the introduction of parental leave benefits (Elterngeld, 2007) and the legal entitlement to a childcare place (2013). Both measures improved the compatibility of work and family life, strengthened women’s labor market participation, and partially broke down outdated gender roles. However, progress remains limited: full-time employment rates among mothers are low by international standards, fathers continue to take only limited responsibility in parental leave and care work, and childcare provision is uneven both regionally and in quality.
Mushövel and Hemerijck emphasize that family policy can only realize its full potential when reforms are coherently aligned. They call for an integrated policy mix that combines financial support, reliable childcare, and targeted incentives for fathers. In particular, they identify non-transferable paternity quotas and high-quality full-day childcare with flexible opening hours as key to achieving greater gender equality, higher employment rates, and more sustainable public finances in the long run.
