How does youth welfare work?
Support for children, young people and families
Child and youth welfare services in Germany support families in promoting the development of children and young people and providing them with a safe and stable environment.
When families face particular challenges, various support services offered by youth welfare organizations can help develop new solutions and stabilize everyday life.
The legal basis for youth welfare is the Social Code Book VIII (SGB VIII).
When can youth services help?
Youth services can support families when they face challenges in their daily lives, or need additional support.
Typical situations might include:
Jugendhilfe versteht sich dabei nicht als Kontrolle, sondern als Unterstützung für Familien.
Who is responsible for youth welfare?
The central contact point for youth welfare is the youth welfare office.
The youth welfare office has the task of:
Die konkrete Unterstützung wird häufig von freien Trägern der Jugendhilfe umgesetzt, zum Beispiel von Cocoon – Jugend und Familienhilfe e.V.
How does the help process work?
Die Unterstützung durch die Jugendhilfe erfolgt
mehreren Schritten.
Initial contact and consultation
The first step is usually a meeting with the youth welfare office. Here, parents, young people, or other caregivers can describe their situation and receive advice.
Together, we will examine what kind of support might be useful.
Clarification of support needs
Discussions with the family involve a joint analysis of the following:
What challenges exist?
which goals should be achieved
which support can be helpful
The individual needs of the family are taken into account.
Care planning
If support is needed, a Care plan according to §36 SGB VIII created.
This care plan will define:
Type of support
Goals of the aid
Scope of support
participating specialists
The support plan is developed jointly with the family.
Start of support
Once the aid has been approved, practical support begins through a youth welfare organization.
Depending on the situation, different options can be used, for example:
- Outpatient child and youth welfare services
- Social pedagogical family support
- School support
- Integration assistance
- Support for independent living
The support often takes place directly in the everyday lives of the families.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Youth Welfare
Antworten auf häufige Fragen
von Familien und Interessierten
Child and youth welfare services can be an important source of support for many families. At the same time, questions often arise regarding the process, eligibility requirements, or the institutions involved.
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about youth services and our programs.
Who can access youth services?
Youth services are aimed at:
Children and young people
young adults
Parents and families
Support can be helpful when families face particular challenges in their daily lives or need additional help.
How can I get support from youth services?
The first step is usually a conversation with the responsible youth welfare office.
There, the following will be discussed together with the family:
which situation exists
which support might be helpful
what assistance is available
If support is needed, a support plan will be created.
Does youth services cost anything?
Most youth welfare services are administered through the Youth Welfare Office organized and financed.
Whether costs will be incurred depends on the specific type of assistance and the individual situation. This will be clarified in a discussion with the youth welfare office.
How long does support last?
The duration of assistance varies and depends on the individual situation.
As part of the care plan process, the following are regularly reviewed:
whether the support is still needed
whether the agreed goals were achieved
whether adjustments are worthwhile
What kind of help is available?
Depending on the need, different support services can be used, for example:
Outpatient child and youth welfare services
Social pedagogical family support
Educational support
School support
Integration assistance
Assisted living
The type of help that is appropriate will be decided on an individual basis.
Do I have to accept help?
Jugendhilfe basiert grundsätzlich auf freiwilliger Zusammenarbeit mit den Familien.
The goal is to develop solutions together and strengthen families.
How does Cocoon work with families?
Our work is based on a trusting and respectful collaboration.
We support families in this:
To better understand challenges
to develop new perspectives
to strengthen own resources
Our goal is to stabilize families in the long term and promote their independence.
You can reach us now immediately by phone or via the form below.
Schedule an appointment, and we will call you back.
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