Foster Families - New consulting offer for children and adolescents
For Berlin's children and youth in foster families, homes, and group homes, there is a new consultation offering. In Schöneberg, an independent contact and consultation center was opened, run by the Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO). Young people, who grow up without their parents in foster families or homes, can find support and assistance there for all kinds of problems, as the youth administration announced. Previously, those affected could only turn to the respective caregivers and youth authorities in problematic situations.
Senator for Youth and Families Katharina Günther-Wünsch (CDU) pointed out during the opening that this is the first time an independent consultation center exists in Berlin. "This means that young people from foster families and residential youth care no longer find themselves in a loyalty conflict when they seek help and advice." This strengthens child protection and the rights of Children and Youth.
AWO Regional Manager Oliver Bürgel emphasized that the new consultation center would focus on the interests of children and youth. "Our goal now is to find ways to make the offers of the consultation center as accessible as possible for children and youth."
According to Günther-Wünsch, her senate department is providing the AWO-Landesverband Berlin with around 400,000 Euro. In Berlin, there are currently 1,952 children in foster families and 6,389 children and youth in residential institutions.
- The new consultation center in Schöneberg, run by AWO, is intended to offer support to children and youth in foster families, homes, and group homes from the district.
- Katharina Günther-Wünsch, the Senator for Youth and Families, highlighted that this is the first independent consultation center for foster children and residential youth care in Berlin.
- The Housing Group within AWO will play a significant role in making the consultation center's offers accessible to as many children and youth in Berlin's Schöneberg district as possible.
- Young people in the care family can now benefit from advice and assistance without feeling compelled to choose between supporting their caregivers and seeking help, thanks to the independence of the consultation center.
- The AWO Regional Manager in Berlin, Oliver Bürgel, emphasized the importance of focusing on the interests of children and youth in the development and implementation of the consultation center's offerings.
