Hilfen zur Erziehung, Antrag stellen

• §§ 27 bis 35 Sozialgesetzbuch, Achtes Buch (SGB VIII) – Kinder- und Jugendhilfe

Assistance in raising children is the generic term for various forms of assistance anchored in Book Eight of the Social Code (SGB VIII - Kinder- und Jugendhilfe) in the event that you, as the person with parental authority, need or make use of support in raising your child.

Needs-based assistance

Educational assistance includes pedagogical and related therapeutic services. The type and scope of help is determined by the educational needs in each individual case. The life situation of the child or young person and his or her family is decisive for the individual assistance.

The more precisely the entire context of the problems and necessary assistance is discussed with the legal guardians (usually the parents or single parents) and their children in advance, and the opportunities and possibilities of the persons concerned are taken into account, the more precisely the assistance or support can be arranged.

Application to the Youth Welfare Office

Assistance in raising children is granted upon application to the local youth welfare office (Jugendamt). The decision as to whether help is necessary and suitable, what kind of help it should be and who should provide it, is always made together with the legal guardians and the child or young person in a joint help plan.

The legal guardians have the right to choose the form of help they wish to receive.

Different forms

Educational assistance can be provided in outpatient, day-care and inpatient forms. There is often talk of "family-supporting", "family-promoting" and "family-replacing" measures. In principle, however, the following applies: If the best interests of the child permit, all possibilities should be exhausted to continue the upbringing in the family.

The return to the family of origin is also the fundamental goal of the measure in the case of forms of assistance that are accompanied by placement of the child or adolescent outside the parental home. To this end, contact with the family is maintained as much as possible during the placement.

Sections 28 to 35 of Book VIII of the Social Code list specific examples of educational assistance. Further educational assistance is possible in addition to this list. The individual forms of socio-educational assistance listed in the law cannot be distinguished from one another; rather, the necessary and appropriate assistance is to be "customised" for the individual case.

An overview of educational assistance

Educational counselling

Educational counselling is an outpatient counselling and therapy service that supports parents and other guardians, children and adolescents in clarifying and overcoming individual and family-related problems. Psychologists, social pedagogues or other specialists aim to promote the positive development of the child or adolescent as well as the family and to maintain and improve family life together. Educational counselling centres can also provide assistance in overcoming crises and problems in connection with separation or divorce.

Counselling is also available without the help of the youth welfare office. Counselling is personal and confidential, which means that the counsellors are also subject to the legal duty of confidentiality.

Social group work

Social group work is an outpatient service and is primarily intended to support older children and adolescents in developing social skills. In the group, they learn to build up self-confidence, overcome developmental difficulties and behavioural problems, and reduce problems with their social environment.

Educational support

In this outpatient help, older children and adolescents are assigned a guardian to support them in overcoming developmental problems and to promote the minor's independence. The educational assistance helps to solve conflicts with parents and teachers as well as with visits to the authorities or overcoming performance problems.

The assistance is usually provided for a longer period of one to three years.

Social pedagogical family support

This help for upbringing is an outpatient offer for the whole family. Social-pedagogical family assistance provides concrete, practical help in stressful family situations and offers "help for self-help". Directly in the family, a specialist usually provides long-term and holistic support in bringing up the child, in coping with everyday family life and in dealing with difficulties with outsiders.

They also help with contact with authorities and other institutions. The aim is for the children to be able to cope with problems on their own again.

Education in a day group

The day group helps children and adolescents of school age to learn social skills. A regular daily structure helps children and adolescents to organise their everyday life.

The focus of the work in day groups is on social learning in the group, support for schooling and work with parents. In order to improve the educational conditions in the family, the families should be relieved and receive professional support.

The advantage of this educational assistance is that children and adolescents can remain in their family and thus in their familiar environment.

Full-time care

This in-patient help for upbringing offers temporary or permanent extra-familial accommodation and care for a child during the day and night in a foster family or - for children and adolescents with particularly impaired development - in an educational institution. This assistance is also linked to the goal of improving the educational conditions in the family of origin.

Full-time foster care enables the child to grow up in a family system and is particularly suitable for younger children, but is generally possible up to the age of 18. The choice of a suitable foster family is based on the needs of the child or young person.

Home education, other forms of assisted living

Within the framework of this inpatient help for upbringing, the child or adolescent is accommodated outside the family for day and night and is cared for by professional specialists. Home education or other forms of assisted living are intended to promote the development of children and young people who no longer live in their own family and cannot be accommodated in a foster family. This is to be achieved by combining everyday life experience with educational and therapeutic offers.

Home education or assisted living is intended to enable the child or young person to return to the family, to prepare for upbringing in another family or to provide a form of living for a longer period of time and to prepare for independent living, which also includes counselling and support in educational and employment matters. Thus, the duration of assistance ranges from short-term placement to permanent residence at least until the child reaches the age of majority.

The individual forms of accommodation differ greatly in terms of the services offered, the target group, the care ratio, the location and, last but not least, the size of the facility. For example, there are family-like care offers, small homes, assisted living communities, children's villages, youth flats as well as forms of assisted individual living.

Intensive individual socio-educational care

Intensive individual socio-educational care is a form of help for young people who are particularly at risk and, in some cases, have suffered considerable stress or damage, for whom group-based care within the framework of home education or other forms of assisted living is not suitable or who can no longer be reached by other child and youth welfare services. The aim is social integration and the ability to lead an independent life.

The care is designed from the outset for a longer period of time. It is characterised by a very high intensity of care combined with a high degree of individual tailoring and flexibility of the assistance provided. It is an outpatient form of assistance, which is, however, often combined with accommodation.

Assistance for young adults and young people of full age

Young people of full age who no longer live with their parents but who are not yet able to take their lives into their own hands can also receive help with upbringing (Article 41 of Book VIII of the Social Code). Assistance for young adults of full age is intended to ensure that a young adult can lead a self-determined and independent life.

Especially in the case of young people who have already received help with upbringing before reaching the age of majority, the help should not end abruptly. In order to ensure a smooth transition to an independent life, the spectrum of educational assistance is still available. For example, a supervised residential group can help them to acquire the necessary know-how about household management, everyday organisation and living arrangements.

As a rule, assistance is continued until the child reaches the age of 21. In justified individual cases, it can also be granted beyond this, at the most until the completed 27th year of life, if the goals of a previous measure, independence, have not been achieved.

depending on the application

As the legal guardian, you have a legal entitlement to help with upbringing if

• without this help, an upbringing that is in the best interests of your child cannot be guaranteed, and
• the help is suitable and necessary for the development of your child.

• Costs: generally borne by the district or the independent city (youth welfare office)
• Costs for full inpatient/partial inpatient assistance: income-dependent and to an appropriate extent to the costs of the service. However, the principle applies that necessary assistance must not fail due to the question of costs.

In cases of inpatient placement, material benefits to ensure the necessary maintenance of the minor according to § 39 of Book VIII of the Social Code and medical assistance to ensure medical care according to § 40 of Book VIII of the Social Code are also provided in addition to the socio-educational assistance according to §§ 27 ff. of Book VIII of the Social Code.

The Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) grants help for upbringing upon application by the person entitled to care, provided that the help is suitable and necessary.

• As the person entitled to custody, you must submit an application for help with upbringing to the Youth Welfare Office if you have the impression that you need support in dealing with your child. Young adults make their application independently.
• The staff of your local Youth Welfare Office will consider with you which assistance is suitable for your family.
• If you need support over a longer period of time, the staff member of the youth welfare office will draw up a support plan together with all those involved. This plan regulates the joint procedure and is regularly adapted and updated depending on the development of the child or young person.
• The assistance services are provided by public and independent youth welfare organisations. These can be local authorities, associations or clubs, for example.

Note: You can also make use of educational counselling without being referred by the Youth Welfare Office.

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