Desperate Need for Foster Families: Children Such as Regina Require More Than Just a House
In the heart of Germany, Andrea Leitgeb, a trained social pedagogue, has been a professional foster mother for 30 years. Among her foster children is Regina, now 23 years old, who joined the family when she was just four years old and is now biological sister to Lara.
Regina, currently studying social work, has had her fair share of challenges growing up as a foster child. She recalls difficult situations such as discussing her past with her peers. Despite these challenges, she is grateful for the love and support she received from her foster family.
Andrea, who became an emergency foster parent, emphasizes the need for understanding, willpower, and nerves when taking in foster children. She also stresses the importance of respect and keeping the difficult origins of the children in mind.
Wera Thomßen, head of the social therapeutic educational placement department at the KIT youth welfare office in Tübingen, agrees. She notes that foster children often come from difficult life situations and have high promotion needs. The KIT youth welfare office only places foster children in families where at least one partner has a professional background.
The demand for foster families, particularly for children aged 0 to 3, is high. Last year, the KIT youth welfare office reported over 200 inquiries. Nationwide, at least 4,000 new foster parents are needed each year for these young children.
The Municipal Association for Youth and Social Welfare Baden-Württemberg reports that in 2023, almost 6880 young people lived in foster families in the southwest, and 87,000 in Germany. However, there is no precise publicly available statistic indicating exactly how many foster parents are needed annually in Germany, specifically for children aged 0 to 3.
Regina, who is now studying acting at the Stuttgart Acting School, does not wish to inquire about her biological siblings or be contacted regarding genetics, such as inherited diseases. She wishes there were more offers or workshops for biological children in the professional support of foster families.
As Andrea prepares to switch from being a foster mother to providing counseling, the KIT youth welfare office in Tübingen continues to seek more emergency foster parents. Barbara Brückert, emphasizing the importance of foster families, especially for younger children, encourages more individuals to consider becoming foster parents.
[1] Adoption numbers in Germany in 2023 [2] Demographic information in Germany
[1] The KIT youth welfare office in Tübingen, along with other similar organizations, is in continuous pursuit of new foster parents to meet the high demand, particularly for younger children aged 0 to 3, to ensure a better lifestyle and a sooner transition towards a more stable home-and-garden environment.
[2] Given the significant number of young individuals living in foster families in Germany, the importance of quality education and self-development cannot be overstated. It is crucial for organizations to provide additional resources, such as educational workshops for children from these backgrounds, to foster their overall development and offer them opportunities to succeed in diverse fields like education-and-self-development and beyond.
