In Germany, an unusual trend has been continuing for several years: increasingly, fathers are taking parental leave
As "Russkaya Germaniya" notes, any parent of a newborn child is entitled to parental leave, which allows them to keep their job, and to receive the state parental allowance (Elterngeld). This allowance was introduced in Germany relatively recently – on January 1, 2007. The goal of this initiative was the authorities' desire to financially support families in which one parent is forced to temporarily interrupt their professional activity to devote their time and energy to the child.
If one parent goes on leave, the state compensates for 12 months of parental leave, and if both do, the duration of paid leave increases to 14 months. The amount of the parental allowance is calculated based on the average monthly income (salary after taxes) received during the year before the child's birth by the parent taking the leave; the minimum allowance, which also unemployed people receive, is 300 euros, and the maximum is 1,800 euros.
As noted in the Ministry of Family Affairs, the role of men in raising children has significantly increased overall in recent times. At the same time, experts noticed that fathers in Germany not only began to devote more time and attention to their children but also to participate more actively in all areas of children's lives: increasingly, it is fathers who bring children to kindergartens and schools, as well as to various courses and extracurricular activities.
Moreover, experts emphasized that men in Germany have begun to understand the meaning of fatherhood more multifaceted and deeply, namely, to act not only as breadwinners but also to directly engage in important matters of upbringing and childcare. Experts' opinions are also confirmed by the results of sociological surveys.