Many children and young people in Germany grow up in orphanages or other kinds of residential homes. Many have suffered permanent psychological damage in their families. They were beaten and neglected, often abused sexually and have never known security and compassion.

The v. Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel supports these children and young people and also involves their parents in educational and therapeutic work, because the bonds between children and parents remain strong despite all problems and burdens. The children should therefore continue to live at home wherever possible.

The Bethel daily and weekly groups for children and young people who return to their families in the evening or at the weekend come into question if the parents intensively cooperate in the assistance measures. If this is not possible, children and adolescents are admitted as residents in group homes or to decentralized off-campus living groups with 24-hour care, to small apartment-sharing groups or to their own apartment if a young person is already independent and requires less support. If close ties are very important for a child, foster parents care for him or her.

Residential assistance also includes special services such as, intensive support groups for especially vulnerable children and young people or shared apartments for young people with eating disorders. We also provide the option of admitting children and young people immediately for a limited period if they temporarily need a safe place pending a decision on how their lives are to continue.

Youth Assistance supports young people in the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Brandenburg.