The "children and family lobby" project (kifalo) of the child protection agency cannot run without a city subsidy. This early childhood challenge and parent education program has been in place in coburg since 2010, and the city has funded the project annually with 10.000 euros demanded. Now the demand expires at the end of the year, and actually should be decided in yesterday's meeting of the youth welfare senate, whether further and permanent demand will be made. This decision postponed to october. "There is still a need for action", said second mayor norbert tessmer (SPD) in the explanatory statement.
Before that, andrea huth, a part-time social pedagogue at kifalo, explained what she has built up in the two years she has been working in coburg. The house at judengasse 48 offers parent-child groups twice a week – once for parents with children under six months old and once with children over six months old. The round table for parents takes place once a month. "This is a low-threshold offer for parental education."
The friday breakfast "room 13" is very well attended, which initially took place in room 13. "In the meantime, however, the interest has become so great that we have to use our hall." An average of twelve women come to this breakfast. "You can exchange ideas but also ask questions to the experts. With us you get answers and also help", stressed andrea huth. In addition, the social pedagogue offers a parent consultation every tuesday or by appointment. Every two weeks there is a "babble" in the cafe handicrafts – parents and children do it together.
In 2012, 1,314 parents and children came to kifalo; by may 2013, the number had risen to 506. And because it is essential for the work of the children's and family lobby to network with other facilities and institutions, andrea huth works together with 17 partners from the city. In her opinion, both children, parents and the child protection agency can benefit from this cooperation. Since 2010, the "coburg – the family town" alliance working on an overall family policy concept.
The family report is available
This was the basis for a family report. Now it is available and bianca haischberger from the bundnisburo presented some key points to the members of the youth welfare senate. In the meantime the alliance has 56 partners, who are active in different working groups. The family report contains the sections "living in coburg, "work and family, "healthy in coburg", "honorary office and self-help and "family support services – counseling, education and upbringing". There was a citizen participation survey in which around two percent of the citizens of coburg took part. "Compared to other cities, this is very good", judged bianca haischberger.
The result speaks for the city in broad terms. 79.6 percent of the participants in the survey describe coburg as a good place to live. The majority finds the city clean and family-friendly. There is still a need for action with regard to shopping facilities in the city districts. This is a result of citizen participation, noted bianca haischberger. The survey also showed, among other things, that it is important to provide more information about the city via the internet, and that the service package for building and living must be expanded as a platform for people looking for housing. In connection with the work situation in coburg, the respondents would like to see more flexibility in the work process and more individualization in order to be able to better reconcile family and career.
This includes, for example, more childcare in the so-called off-peak hours, an escort service for children between the facilities, a good quality of lunchtime care and vacation offers for three- to six-year-olds.
This first family report is now to be integrated as an essential part of the overall family policy concept "coburg – the family city" to be incorporated.