Guidance and Assistance for Family Members

Landshut Networking Meeting Aims to Enhance Cooperation Between Counseling Centers, Youth Welfare, and Integration Assistance

Last Thursday, a networking meeting was held at the youth welfare office in Landshut, marking the kick-off for regular collaborations among counseling centers, youth welfare, and integration assistance. The meeting, initiated by the caseworkers of the city of Landshut and the youth welfare office, aimed to bridge the gap between youth welfare and integration assistance, and to foster regular networking among counseling centers supporting families and young people with (impending) disabilities.

The focus of the meeting was on the needs of families with children with disabilities, a group that has been identified as facing significant challenges. A 2022 study by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs revealed that parents of children with disabilities experience high psychological stress, and that care and support for affected young people require a significant amount of time.

Counseling centers can play a crucial role in providing relief by guiding those affected through complex support systems and assisting with benefit applications. The study findings underscore the need for counseling centers to assist families with children with disabilities in navigating these complex systems.

The meeting served as a platform for discussing and planning future collaborative efforts among the participating organizations. The Lebenshilfe Landshut, as well as specialists from the Supplementary Independent Participation Counseling (EUTB) of the Bavarian Red Cross' Open Disability Work (OBA BRK), were present. The participants agreed that close cooperation and collaboration are necessary to improve offers, strengthen networking, and develop tailored assistance.

Carolin Voelkner, the city's disability commissioner, attended the meeting. While specific details about which organizations attended the first network meeting of counseling centers for families and young people with disabilities in Landshut on the Wednesday two weeks ago are not provided in the available search results, it is clear that the meeting was a success in fostering collaboration and setting the stage for future meetings.

Further meetings have been planned as a result of the networking meeting. The aim of these meetings is to continue improving offers, strengthening networking, and developing tailored assistance, ultimately making life easier for families with children with disabilities in Landshut.