German family association - funded family vacation

Funded family vacation

No appointments, lots of nature and time, time, time – vacation is a welcome opportunity for many families to recharge their batteries and recharge the empty batteries. And this is often very necessary in view of the family, professional and organizational challenges. Not only those who can easily afford to travel need everyday vacations. Families with low income or special loads have to cope with additional tasks.

Family recreation also offers special offers for certain target groups: grandparents’ and grandchildren’s free time, nature free time, father-son projects, mother-daughter offers. In addition to relieving the strain on parents, educational facilities are also available in family holiday resorts: topics such as nutrition, media, conflict management, exercise, but also games and music can provide enriching experiences if desired. Grants can be applied for if the family budget is tight. However, they are a national issue. Requirements and amount of funding depend on the respective regulations of the federal state. For years, more and more countries have withdrawn from the promotion of family recreation: In North Rhine-Westphalia (since 2002), Baden-Württemberg (2005), Hamburg (2011), Hesse and Schleswig-Holstein (2011), family recreation is no longer financially available subsidized.

An example from the German Family Association: Lower Saxony

The state of Lower Saxony subsidizes family recreation. Sabine Armbrecht and her colleague Ramona Paulmann at DFV Niedersachsen take care of families who have little money and want to take a break from everyday life. Almost 260 families in Lower Saxony applied for grants for family recreation in 2013. Two thirds of the applicants are families with mother and father, and one third are single parents. The number of children ranges from one to fourteen children. And one thing unites the families: "The money is simply not enough," says Sabine Armbrecht. Many would have to live with an income that was just above the Hartz IV rate. So vacation on your own is out of the question. And even with the grant stay tight.

A subsidy of € 10 per child and day is paid, € 5 per partner traveling with you, single parents get up to € 5. In order for the money to be claimed, the trip does not have to go to a family resort. "The holiday destination must of course be in Germany," explains Sabine Armbrecht. “Ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether the family wants to go on holiday at the campsite, in a youth hostel or on a farm. The main thing is that the family can relax and the wallet is not overused. ”City trips therefore do not fall into the sponsored area, because they are not used to relax and find the family together. Experience has shown that most applications are approved because the requirements are clarified in advance. However, some families are ultimately unable to claim the approved subsidy because the washing machine suddenly breaks or a child goes on a school trip – the family then has to give up the vacation for financial reasons.

Tip: "Grants for family recreation can be applied for every two years", explains Sabine Armbrecht. “So if you want to apply for a grant, simply contact us. We will then take care of it together. ”On behalf of the State of Lower Saxony, the DFV awards around 200,000 euros a year to the families. The settlement with the country take care of Sabine Armbrecht and her colleague.

Travel allowances

The amount of the grant is calculated on the basis of the monthly family net income, the apartment rent, the number of family members and the travel days. In four federal states (Berlin, Lower Saxony, Saxony and Thuringia) the German Family Association (DFV) advises on the individual options for a travel allowance. With the “Hollandheim”, the DFV also operates its own family recreation center. The DFV regional association Thuringia also offers a comprehensive and inexpensive holiday program for children of different ages.

Holiday grants can currently be applied for in ten of 16 federal states:

German family association – funded family vacation

Funded family vacation

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