📞 Advice and contact points

Who can help with questions about maternity protection, parental allowance, parental leave and childcare.

pregnancy counselling Familienkasse Elterngeldstelle pregnancy advice centre

In brief

For different concerns around pregnancy, birth and parental leave there are different contacts: pregnancy counselling centres (e.g. run by Pro Familia, Diakonie, Caritas or municipal bodies) give free and confidential advice on financial help, social law questions and personal concerns around pregnancy and maternity protection – regardless of marital status. For parental allowance, the parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle) of your federal state is responsible; for child benefit and child supplement, the Familienkasse of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency). For employment law conflicts (dismissal, discrimination), works/staff councils, trade unions or specialist employment lawyers can help.

Step by step

Classify your concernConsider whether it is about a financial benefit (parental allowance, child benefit, maternity pay), an employment law conflict or a personal/social question – the right contact depends on this.
Contact pregnancy counsellingFor general questions, including financial hardship during pregnancy, contact a pregnancy counselling centre near you – counselling is free and, if you wish, anonymous.
Contact the responsible authority directlyFor applications, contact the responsible parental allowance office, Familienkasse or health insurance fund directly.
Seek legal supportIf dismissal is threatened or has been issued, or in cases of discrimination, promptly contact the works/staff council, a trade union or a specialist employment lawyer – the deadlines for bringing a claim are short.

Deadlines

No statutory deadline

Contacting an advice centre is possible at any time; for legal steps (e.g. a dismissal protection claim), however, short deadlines of a few weeks apply – see the respective topic pages—

Watch out – common mistakes

Pregnancy counselling centres are bound by law to confidentiality and give advice regardless of whether you decide for or against continuing the pregnancy or have already decided.
In cases of dismissal and similar time-critical conflicts every day counts – do not wait to contact an advice centre or a lawyer until a deadline has already passed.
For single mothers and fathers there are additional, specific contact points and benefits (e.g. on advance maintenance payments), which are covered in depth in the separate guide "Single mothers".

In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Pregnancy counselling

The entitlement to free pregnancy counselling arises from the Schwangerschaftskonfliktgesetz (SchKG) and § 2 SchKG in conjunction with state implementing rules; providers include Pro Familia, Diakonisches Werk, Caritas and municipal public health offices. Counselling covers in particular information on financial help (e.g. the foundation "Mutter und Kind – Schutz des ungeborenen Lebens"), social law entitlements and personal questions.

Official responsibilities at a glance

Maternity protection and bans on employment: supervisory authority of the respective federal state. Maternity pay: health insurance fund (or the Bundesamt für Soziale Sicherung in special cases). Parental allowance: parental allowance office of the federal state. Parental leave: employer. Child benefit/child supplement: Familienkasse of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. Daycare place: municipal Jugendamt. Child sickness benefit: health insurance fund.

Legal protection

For employment law disputes (dismissal, discrimination, refusal of part-time work) the labour court is responsible; out-of-court legal advice assistance (Beratungshilfe) can be applied for at the local court (Amtsgericht), and for court proceedings, where applicable, legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe). Trade unions often offer their members free initial employment law advice.

Specifically for single parents

For single mothers and fathers there are additional, specific contact points and benefits, in particular advance maintenance payments (Unterhaltsvorschuss) and the tax relief amount for single parents, which are covered in depth in the separate guide "Single mothers".

Who is responsible

Pregnancy counselling centres (Pro Familia, Diakonie, Caritas, municipal bodies)
Parental allowance office, Familienkasse, health insurance fund, Jugendamt (depending on concern)

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Advice and contact points“?

Who can help with questions about maternity protection, parental allowance, parental leave and childcare.

Which deadlines and figures matter?

No statutory deadline: Contacting an advice centre is possible at any time; for legal steps (e.g. a dismissal protection claim), however, short deadlines of a few weeks apply – see the respective topic pages (—)

What should I do first?

Classify your concern: Consider whether it is about a financial benefit (parental allowance, child benefit, maternity pay), an employment law conflict or a personal/social question – the right contact depends on this.
Contact pregnancy counselling: For general questions, including financial hardship during pregnancy, contact a pregnancy counselling centre near you – counselling is free and, if you wish, anonymous.
Contact the responsible authority directly: For applications, contact the responsible parental allowance office, Familienkasse or health insurance fund directly.

What do I need to watch out for?

Pregnancy counselling centres are bound by law to confidentiality and give advice regardless of whether you decide for or against continuing the pregnancy or have already decided.
In cases of dismissal and similar time-critical conflicts every day counts – do not wait to contact an advice centre or a lawyer until a deadline has already passed.
For single mothers and fathers there are additional, specific contact points and benefits (e.g. on advance maintenance payments), which are covered in depth in the separate guide "Single mothers".

Evidence

§ 2 SchKG (gesetze-im-internet.de)

As of

As of September 2026. · Sources and method

A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.