Fostering Hope: The Unveiling of Berlin’s ‘Alliance for Foster Children
Recent statistics reveal a disconcerting reality in Germany—every 13 minutes, a child is forced to leave their family due to neglect or mistreatment. Annually, around 85,000 children and young individuals are placed under the care of youth welfare offices for their own safety, severing ties with their biological families.
Thankfully, compassionate families are stepping forward to embrace these children, offering them new homes. In foster families, these youngsters find solace in either a permanent or temporary haven, ideally experiencing structure, security, and love. However, the shortage of foster families remains a pressing challenge.
In Berlin alone, about 2,000 children are growing up in foster families, with many more eagerly awaiting a new home, including previously unaccompanied minor refugees. To address and enhance the situation for these children and young people, a new community has emerged.
The “Alliance for Foster Children” is set to be officially introduced, with Family Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch (CDU) in attendance. The initiators, including the “Non-Profit Society EmMi LuebesKind,” various foster families, and youth welfare professionals, aim to make a positive impact.
Katharina Günther-Wünsch, a foster mother herself, has dedicated her political and personal endeavors to this family policy issue. She will present new statistics and developments from Berlin during the unveiling, providing a platform for live chat discussion.
Anna Mila Wilken, an author, foster mother, and one of the initiators, sheds light on the unnecessary bureaucracy that foster families face, to the detriment of the child. Financial support for these families often falls short of the actual requirements, considering the myriad health, school, therapeutic, and other challenges they confront due to the special needs of their children.
The homepage of the new child protection lobby underscores that unclear or outdated legal requirements particularly impact the well-being of children. The “Alliance for Foster Families” seeks to rectify this by advocating for professional exchange between politics, administration, society, and science. The alliance aims to offer better support to active foster parents while also fostering the recruitment of potential future foster parents.
The initiators, most of whom have a background in foster families or social support, including EmMi LuebesKind gGmbH, want this alliance to operate independently, free from official dependencies, public funding, or indirect allocations. Their goal is clear: to create a collaborative and supportive environment that prioritizes the well-being of foster children.