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Country Profile

Germany

5.5 out of 10

Right to decide and right to vote

The law says people should have support to make decisions and keep their legal capacity. People with intellectual disabilities are allowed to vote and stand for elections. Voting is made accessible.

8.6

Right to live independently and to be included in the community

Many adults with intellectual disabilities live in large institutions. Some live in smaller institutions and very few live in small care homes.

3.8

Housing and support

Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their families. Some live in their own place. Disability benefits go to the personal with a disability. There is a mechanism to assess quality of services but it is not sufficient.

5.7

Education

Many children with intellectual disabilities go to special schools, many go to mainstream schools. There is no national strategy towards inclusive education.

5.2

Employment

Most people with intellectual disabilities are in ‘protected employment’, very few have a job on the open labour market. People risk losing disability benefits when they earn money. ‘Protected employment’ does not pay minimum wage.

4.1

Healthcare

Most people with intellectual disabilities have access to general healthcare. Many have access to the dentist and some have access to women’s health. There is no easy-to-read information on healthcare available. Access to sex education is poor. People cannot be forcibly sterilised.

5.3

Representation

People with intellectual disabilities are represented in the national cross-disability organisation but there is no one with an intellectual disability on the board/council. Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe receives government funding.

5.8

How does Germany compare to the European average?

Germany European average

Right to decide and right to vote
8.6
Right to live independently and to be included in the community
3.8
Housing and support
5.7
Education
5.2
Employment
4.1
Healthcare
5.3
Representation
5.8

All the different disability benefits systems do not interact very well and they all have different allocations systems behind. Some are tax paid, some are insurances. Theoretically there is a system for any need possible but in practice it is very hard to acquire.

Sometimes due to lack of assistants, people with intellectual disabilities are sent home to their families, or families are required to help out in the assisted living arrangement.

Reported numbers of people with intellectual disabilities in
Mainstream education 258,081
Special education 323,183
No education *
Larger institutions *
Smaller institutions 191,640
Small care homes 230,000
Psychiatric hospitals 10,000

These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.