Deutsche WElle reports that German Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen is the latest and most prominent German child advocate to speak out against private television channel RTL’s decision to go ahead with ‘Erwachsen auf Probe’, or ‘Grown-up on Probation’. Von der Leyen urged RTL to either ‘stop the show or thoroughly re-work it.’
Yet RTL has said it will do no such thing and intends to air the first episode on June 3 as planned. The show follows four teenage couples who have said they want to become parents. The teenagers are given a borrowed baby to care for over several days and TV crews document their struggles to change diapers and quiet temper tantrums. The show poses the question: are these teenagers really ready to take on parenthood?
Criticism from child advocates has been building in recent weeks. German child advocates say the show exploits the young children who are being loaned out to inexperienced teenagers. The German parliament’s commission for children issued a statement in which it chastised RTL for using children as guinea pigs and for ‘exploiting children in an irresponsible manner.’ The commission urged RTL not to air the series. Germany’s Federation for the Protection of Children has also weighed in, saying it is ‘furious’ at the concept, which it claims puts children at ‘high risk.’ The show has cleared all necessary regulatory hurdles. RTL has pointed out that the babies are monitored around the clock by child psychologists and doctors to ensure that the inexperienced caregivers do no harm and that the parents are also just off camera.