Almost one in five fathers in Austria claim childcare allowance, according to a study from the Ministry of Social Affairs, but ministers want to encourage more men to take an active role in their child's care.
According to a survey by the economic think tank WIFO for the ministry of family affairs the state pays out €9 billion a year to support families, but this money is being used ineffectively.
The results of a study by the EU Commission on equal treatment of men has suggested a kind of "paternity protection" in Austria - similar to the established "maternity protection" which means an employer can’t force a woman to return to work straight after the birth of her child.
