Youth welfare planning

Responsibilities and working methods

Youth welfare planning is the central strategic instrument for the qualitative and quantitative planning and management of child and youth welfare. It is a mandatory statutory task and the instrument prescribed by the legislator with which the public youth welfare provider must ensure that all tasks of SGB VIII are fulfilled as part of its overall responsibility (cf. state youth welfare planning).

Youth welfare planning is committed to an urban infrastructure for young people and their families that contributes to maintaining or creating positive living conditions. Youth welfare planning works in a networked manner within the Integrated Social Planning team in order to coordinate key topics and anchor specialist policy objectives in other planning areas. It is carried out as a cross-departmental and cross-committee activity in close cooperation with the specialist services of the Youth Welfare Office and in coordination with other specialist departments of the city administration and municipal enterprises. Networking and cooperative collaboration with independent youth welfare organizations and specialist politicians are a prerequisite for a successful planning process.

Guiding principles in the planning process are life situation orientation, social space reference and working field systematics. In addition to coordinating the planning process, youth welfare planning collects relevant social and specialist data for a comprehensive assessment of needs and services.

Various methods and formats are used to involve the addressees in youth welfare planning. Socio-scientific survey instruments are used (Jena Youth Study) or low-threshold participation formats are carried out by and for young people (including social space conferences, focus group work, interpretation of planning documents). The target groups are also represented in specialist political bodies - the youth welfare committee and its subcommittees (youth parliament, city parents' council).

In order to ensure the necessary plurality of services, recognized independent youth welfare providers are generally active in all areas of youth welfare. The public youth welfare organization (youth welfare office) bears overall responsibility for all offers and services in the area of local youth welfare. The services are planned and coordinated as part of youth welfare planning. Youth welfare planning also includes the process of recognition as an independent provider in accordance with §75 SGB VIII.