Child-Rearing Assistance; Applying for Child-Rearing Assistance

"Educational assistance" is the umbrella term for various forms of support provided when legal guardians need assistance in raising their child.

The local youth welfare office provides guidance on appropriate and necessary measures; a plan for assistance is developed jointly.

In particular, the following measures may be considered:

Parenting Counseling

Unlike many other child and youth welfare services, no prior application to the youth welfare office is required to access parenting counseling. Parenting and youth counseling centers play a key role in strengthening parents’ parenting skills. Multidisciplinary teams of experts support children, adolescents, parents, and other legal guardians in identifying and addressing individual and/or family-related problems and their underlying causes. From birth through adulthood, a range of developmentally appropriate support and counseling services is offered for all life situations and problems.

The work of parenting counseling centers is of great importance, particularly in the area of separation and divorce. This is especially true for highly contentious conflicts that require close cooperation between the Youth Welfare Office, parenting and youth counseling centers, and family court.

In addition, parents can visit the website of the Federal Conference for Parenting Counseling (Bundeskonferenz für Erziehungsberatung e.V.)—and young people can visit the website of the Federal Conference for Parenting Counseling (Bundeskonferenz für Erziehungsberatung e.V.) – Youth Counseling: Guidance and support are available through the Virtual Counseling Center of the Federal Conference for Educational Counseling, which is funded by the federal states.

Social Group Work

Social group work is designed to help older children and adolescents overcome developmental difficulties and behavioral problems through social learning within the group.

Educational Support Worker, Care Assistant

The educational support worker/care assistant is intended toprovideminorswithadvice and assistance in coping with developmental problems and to promote their independence while maintaining their connection to their family.

Social-Pedagogical Family Assistance

Social-pedagogical family assistance supports families through intensive support and guidance in their parenting responsibilities, in coping with everyday problems, and in resolving conflicts and crises, as well as in dealing with government agencies and institutions. Social-pedagogical family assistance offers help for self-help.

Education in a Day Group

In a day group, the development of a child or adolescent is supported through social learning within the group, support for academic progress, and work with parents. The goal of supporting academic progress and working with parents is to ensure that the child remains in the family.

Full-Time Foster Care

If parents are unable to provide their child with adequate conditions for upbringing, placing their child with another family—either for a specific period or permanently—may be an appropriate solution.

Residential Care, Other Supervised Living Arrangements

Residential facilities for minors offer a range of specialized care options for children and adolescents who are placed outside their own families. The primary goal is either to facilitate a return to the family of origin or to prepare the young person for independent living. Parent involvement is crucial in this process and is therefore an integral part of the program’s design.

As a parent or legal guardian, you have a legal right to educational support services. This support includes outpatient services (specialists who primarily support you within the family), semi-residential services (programs for children and adolescents, such as special education day centers), and residential services (programs outside the family home).

The staff of the General Social Services

• advise parents or single parents and their minor children as well as young adults
• work with those involved to assess their support needs and determine the most appropriate assistance for their situation
• initiate and arrange support services
• coordinate the planning of outpatient and semi-residential support, as well as shared living arrangements for mothers/fathers and children
• participate in planning support for services outside the family home

Who are we, and how do I find my contact person?

• We are a team of social workers, each of whom is responsible for a specific residential district.
• The city of Erlangen is divided into 21 districts. One social worker is responsible for each of these districts. You can find out the name and direct phone number of the contact person responsible for your street by contacting the Social Services office (“Responsible for You”).

As a legal guardian, you have a legal right to educational assistance if

• without this assistance, an upbringing that is in your child’s best interests cannot be guaranteed, and
• the support is appropriate and necessary for your child’s development.

The Youth Welfare Office provides educational assistance upon request by the legal guardians, provided that the assistance is appropriate and necessary. 

• As a legal guardian, you must submit an informal request for educational assistance to the Youth Welfare Office if you feel that you need support in dealing with your child. Young adults submit their own requests.
• The staff at your local Youth Welfare Office will work with you to determine what types of support are appropriate for your family.
• If you need support over a longer period of time, the Youth Welfare Office staff member will work with all parties involved to create a support plan. This plan outlines the joint approach and is regularly adjusted and updated based on the child’s or adolescent’s development.
• The support services are provided by public and private youth welfare organizations. These may include, for example, municipalities, associations, or clubs.

You can also seek parenting counseling without referral from the Youth Welfare Office.

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The costs of educational assistance are always borne by the Youth Welfare Office.

In some cases (e.g., residential care), those affected may also be required to contribute to the costs at a later stage. Whether and to what extent parents are required to contribute to the costs is determined by the Youth Welfare Office. This determination takes into account the financial capacity of those required to contribute.