Independent youth welfare organization; application for recognition

Legal entities (e.g. registered associations, limited liability companies, public limited companies, foundations under civil law) and associations of persons (e.g. unregistered associations) that are active in the context of child and youth welfare and meet all of the requirements in Section 75 Para. I SGB VIII can be recognized as independent youth welfare organizations.

Recognition is not required if the organization is already recognized by law in accordance with § 75 Para. III SGB VIII. This applies to churches and religious communities under public law as well as associations of independent welfare organizations at federal level.

In Bavaria, the legal recognition includes, among others, the associations of independent welfare services that have joined together by the cut-off date of January 1, 2007 at the latest. Recognition only extends to legally independent member organizations that join at a later date if the organization is active in the field of youth welfare and is linked to the organization by the same statutes and the same activities to form an organizational unit. This must be determined separately by the competent body.

Based on state law, the Bavarian Youth Ring and the youth associations and youth communities that merged on 1 January 2007 at the latest are recognized sponsors of independent youth welfare. If youth associations and youth communities were admitted to the Bayerischer Jugendring after the cut-off date of 1 January 2007, they are also recognized as independent youth welfare organizations.

Determining the responsible authority:

• The local youth welfare office is responsible if the organization is essentially only active in the area of responsibility of this youth welfare office.
• The respective government is responsible if the activity extends to several youth welfare office districts, but not significantly beyond the government district.
• The Bavarian State Youth Welfare Office as part of the Bavarian Center for Family and Social Affairs (ZBFS) is responsible for organizations whose activities extend to several administrative districts but not beyond Bavaria. This does not apply to youth associations and youth communities or other organizations that are primarily active in the field of youth work.
• In all other cases, responsibility lies with the Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labor and Social Affairs as the highest state youth authority.

The prerequisite for recognition is that the organization

• is active in the field of youth welfare within the meaning of § 1 SGB VIII,
• pursues charitable goals,
• can be expected to make a not insignificant contribution to the fulfillment of the tasks of youth welfare on the basis of its professional and personnel requirements, and
• offers the guarantee of work that is conducive to the objectives of the Basic Law.

The application must be submitted in writing to the competent authority with the required documents.

• Please contact the authority responsible for you to find out which documents are required.

No fees are charged.

Costs may be incurred for the provision of documents (e.g. extract from the register of associations, etc.).