Parent and Family Education; Utilization of Programs

By raising their children, parents make an indispensable contribution to their children’s positive development and to the future of our society.

Parents’ need for information, advice, and support regarding the upbringing of their children has increased significantly. Parent and family education is intended to help strengthen the parenting skills of parents, single mothers and fathers, foster parents, and expectant mothers and fathers. This will enable parents to better fulfill their parenting responsibilities.

The following parenting and family education programs are available locally:

• Family Support Centers
  As local contact points and resources, over 200 family support centers in Bavaria provide specific parent and family education programs. They are well-connected with other institutions and offer appropriate, tailored assistance to meet the diverse needs of families, depending on the child’s age and the family’s situation. Family support centers are affiliated with existing local institutions, such as centers for mothers and fathers, family education centers, as well as parenting counseling centers and child care facilities.
   
• Help for Parents of a Crying Baby
  It is completely normal for babies to cry. It is the only way they can express themselves and communicate their needs. If a baby cries excessively, it is important to first determine whether there are any medical causes for the crying. If these can be ruled out, parents can seek advice at a counseling center for fussy babies.
   
• “familienst@rk” Web Coaching Sessions
  These web coaching sessions are designed for parents and cover topics related to parenting, family, and relationships. Parents can ask questions via live chat and receive answers and tips from experts. All information about the web coaching sessions is available on the website familienland.bayern.de
  
  
• Parent Videos “Strong Through Bonding: What Children Need”
  To support parents in their day-to-day parenting, ten short videos have been developed that offer practical tips for daily life with toddlers, based on the latest findings in attachment research. The video series covers topics such as “Help, my baby is crying!”, “Help, my child can’t sleep,” and “Help, why can’t I do things differently?”. Pediatrician and parenting guide author Dr. Herbert Renz-Polster, attachment researcher Prof. Dr. Fabienne Becker-Stoll, journalist Nora Imlau, and family therapist Dr. Michael Schieche explore these various topics in ten-minute expert interviews.
  
  
• Strong Through Bonding—Tips for Parental Sensitivity in the Early Years
  The“Strong Through Attachment” series includes a scientifically grounded parenting guide that offers not only practical advice but also tips, testimonials from other parents, and resources for further support.
  The brochure is supplemented by fold-out leaflets in 18 different languages with easy-to-understand tips and links. In addition, the series includes the parent videos “Strong Through Bonding: What Children Need” as well as expert advice on selected everyday parenting issues, which offer parents valuable guidance to help them navigate and resolve difficult situations effectively.
  
  
• Strong Through Parenting
  The brochure published as part of the“Strong Through Parenting”campaign contains eight messages that contribute to successful parenting. The brochure is also available in 16 foreign languages (including, for example, English, French, Russian, and Arabic) and in easy-to-read language. All editions are also available as downloadable versions.
  
  
• Freedom Within Limits
  The brochure “Freedom Within Limits” provides parents of preschool-aged children not only with important guidance on a parenting approach that fosters development and on fundamental parenting issues, but also with descriptions of typical problem situations encountered in everyday parenting. Parents can reflect on, adjust, and practice their parenting behaviors. The brochure is available as a free download.
  
  
• Family Mentor Network in Bavaria
  Families can seek support from volunteer family mentors to ease their burden. The breathing room this provides opens up the potential for parents to strengthen their resilience as well as their parenting and everyday life skills. This is intended to prevent stressful situations from escalating into crises.
• Letters to Parents and Media Letters
  Through the parent and media letters from the Bavarian Center for Family and Social Affairs—Bavarian State Youth Welfare Office—parents receive timely, clearly organized, and up-to-date information on their child’s or children’s developmental stages from birth through age 18. The parent and media letters can be read online, downloaded, or subscribed to.
  
  
• Bavarian Parenting Guide (BAER)
  Through the “Bavarian Parenting Guide” portal, families receive concrete support to help them fulfill their parenting responsibilities. With numerous expert articles, the BAER covers all key areas of parenting.
  
  
• intakt.info – Self-Help Platform for Parents of Children with Disabilities
  The self-help resources offered by intakt.info include easy-to-understand expert information covering every stage of a child’s life with a disability, the latest news, and information on events and recreational activities, changes in legislation, a Bavaria-wide directory of contact points, and opportunities to share experiences and connect with other parents in the community.
  
  
• Keeping Love Alive
  The website “So That Love Endures” is designed to help improve communication between partners and deepen the relationship. It offers extensive information on partnerships, love, and communication.

Anger and Büchenbach Family Support Centers:

The Anger and Büchenbach Family Support Centers are here for all parents and families in these neighborhoods. Do you have questions, concerns, or worries about parenting, family life, relationships, or your children’s development? We’d be happy to advise you.

We’ll let you know where you can find additional information, advice, and help in Erlangen. Upon request, we can also refer you to other resources.

At each family support center, we also offer parent education and family education programs. These are events for parents focused on children, parenting, or family life. Many of these programs are designed for parents and children to attend together so they can spend quality time with one another.

Contact information for the support centers:

Anger:

Isarstraße 12, 91052 Erlangen
Phone: + (49) 09131 / 86 - 3663
Email: familienstuetzpunkt-anger@stadt.erlangen.de

Büchenbach:

Goldwitzerstraße 27, 91056 Erlangen
Phone: + (49) 09131 / 86 - 3537
Email: familienstuetzpunkt-buechenbach@stadt.erlangen.de