The Education and Participation Package (BuT)
Equal opportunities from the very beginning
The financial difficulties faced by families and the lack of opportunities for their children to participate in society are closely intertwined. However, local stakeholders have effective tools at their disposal to support families and children and mitigate some of the consequences.
Why is it important to promote education and participation?
Being at risk of or affected by poverty impacts the entire family. In addition to the immediate difficulties in meeting daily needs and the intra-family tensions often associated with this, situations of poverty severely limit children’s social participation and educational opportunities.
In 2024, 23.3% of all children and adolescents under the age of 18 in North Rhine-Westphalia were at risk of poverty (Source: IT.NRW, State Statistical Office, Microcensus results). The gap between families and childless individuals is widening significantly: single parents (45.9%) and families with multiple children (33.2%) are particularly at risk of poverty.
Poverty as a risk factor
For children and adolescents, growing up in poverty—in addition to the sacrifices and limitations it entails—also has significant effects on later stages of life (Source: German Institute for Interdisciplinary Social Policy Research, 2023):
- If there is no money available for leisure activities, opportunities for participation are severely limited.
- However, sports, music, culture, and other activities are not only important for young people to grow up well, but also for their chances of leading a self-determined life.
- Where there is a lack of funds for educational programs, educational opportunities in daycare centers, elementary schools, and secondary schools go unused.
- This creates disadvantages that are difficult to overcome later on.
But: No child should be disadvantaged. Everyone should have the same opportunities to grow up well. The benefits from the Education and Participation Package (BuT) contribute to this.
BuT Benefits and Legal Basis
The Education and Participation Package was introduced in 2011 to create a material foundation for equal opportunities for children, adolescents, and young adults whose parents rely on certain government transfer payments.
Legal basis for entitlement
- Citizen's Income pursuant to §§ 7, 19, 28, 29 SGB II
- Social assistance pursuant to § 34 SGB XII
- Child supplement or Housing allowance pursuant to § 6b of the Federal Child Allowance Act (BKGG)
- Asylum Seeker Benefits pursuant to § 3 of the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act (AsylbLG)
The Special Case of Needs-Based Solution provides that even families who do not fall under the standard needs are entitled to BuT benefits pursuant to § 34a(1) sentence 2 SGB XII, provided that certain educational and participation needs of the child cannot be fully met.
Services
- School and daycare field trips, School trips
- School supply package
- School transportation
- Academic support
- Lunch
- Participation in the social and cultural life of the community
Use of BuT services
The use of benefits under the Education and Participation Package is not systematically tracked across all eligibility criteria. Since data on the recipients of individual BuT benefits are also collected and processed differently, they are only comparable to a limited extent. However, the available data suggests that these benefits are utilized by only a portion of those eligible. Further information on current studies can be found, among other places, here.
The large number of agencies involved and the different legal frameworks within the context of BuT highlight the complexity of the issue. A blanket assessment of the uptake of BuT benefits is therefore not possible. Regardless of this, it is undisputed that there is potential to increase uptake and thus reduce the risk of poverty.
With a package of measures, the Ministry of Family Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia aims to ensure that more families receive the benefits of the BuT package and to facilitate targeted further developments at the municipal and state levels.
Further information Links and Downloads
