Support for care leavers

---

Well supported on the path to independence: advice, help, and contact points for care leavers

Are you about to move out of your residential group? Are you moving out of your foster family soon? Or have you already moved out? Starting your adult life can be challenging. These can include finding your own apartment, for example. Managing your money or making your own decisions can also be difficult.

You don't have to face these challenges alone. The rights of young adults and care leavers have been strengthened in recent years.

We want you to know what support you are entitled to and where you can get it. Here you will find the most important information at a glance.

Help for young adults

Even if you are of legal age, i.e. 18 years old, you can still receive support from the Youth Welfare Office. This applies if you are not yet able to live completely independently. This is also possible if you have not yet received any assistance from the Youth Welfare Office.

You will receive help if:

• you are between 18 and 21 years old (in special cases up to 27),
• you need support in becoming an adult ,
• or if you have problems with housing, school, training, or your family, for example.

Examples of assistance:

• Support from socialworkers
• Help with entering working life
• Support in everyday life
• Living in a supervised residential group

You submit an application for assistance. The application can be informal. This means that it can be made verbally, in writing, or in a conversation.

Your right to aftercare

When your assistance from the Youth Welfare Office ends, you have a legally guaranteed right to aftercare. This applies, for example, after a period in a residential group, a foster family, or after outpatient care in your own home. This means:

• You will receive advice and support even after the actual assistance has ended.
• You can continue to contact familiar caregivers and employees of the Youth Welfare Office whom you know.

Aftercare can help you with:

• Finding a place to live
• Questions about training or jobs
• Problems with authorities or money
• Health and personal issues

Important: You are not obliged to use the follow-up support – but the Youth Welfare Office must offer it to you.

Your right to a second chance – the "comeback" option

Despite close support from the Youth Welfare Office before, during, and after you move out of the facility and the end of youth welfare, things may not run smoothly. You may find that you need support again. That's no problem! You can come back if you are still having difficulties managing your life independently.

This so-called "coming back" option allows you to:

• You can reapply for assistance from the youth welfare office. This is also possible months or years after the end of your youth welfare assistance.
• The assistance will be re-evaluated, as with an initial application.
• If you are over 21 when you start over, you can still receive support – in special cases even up to the age of 27.

The important thing is to get in touch if you need help. It's never too late.

How do you get this support?

The Youth Welfare Office's case management team is your first point of contact for support and assistance. Here you can get advice on assistance, aftercare, or "coming back." You can apply for or resume assistance informally.

• Bremen Youth Welfare Office
• Bremerhaven Youth Welfare Office

Where else can you get support? – Ombudsman Service & counseling centers

In addition to the Youth Welfare Offices, there are also other counseling centers in Bremen and Bremerhaven that can accompany, advise, and support you—regardless of whether you are currently receiving help, have stopped receiving help, or want to start again. All counseling is voluntary, free of charge, and subject to confidentiality.

 

The Federal Ombudsman Service in Bremen and Bremerhaven

If you have a conflict with the youth welfare office, your institution, or an agency that cannot be resolved on your own, there is a counseling center just for you. The Ombudsman Service:

• is independent of the youth welfare office and has your interests and rights in mind
• helps you with conflicts with professionals, institutions, or authorities.
• can advise and support you and also mediate in discussions.

Office hours and contact details are available here: BebeE Bremen 

The Federal Ombudsman Service can also provide you with information about your rights: Federal Ombudsman Service (German only)

 

Youth Welfare Counseling at the Jugendberufsagentur

The Youth Welfare Counseling service at the Jugendberufsagentur supports you with all questions that are important for independent living: How can I finance myself, which benefit system is responsible for me, which profession suits me and how do I get there, where do I need further support?

The youth welfare counseling service is available in Bremen and Bremerhaven. It is part of the local youth welfare office. You can find the contact details here: Jugendberufsagentur Bremen (German only)

 

Careleaver.Bremen – Contact and advice center for care leavers

If you are no longer in youth welfare and need advice and support, the contact and advice center can help you. Regardless of which agency you were cared for by, the specialists at SOS Kinderdorf Bremen will help you anonymously and free of charge with the following topics, for example:

• Questions about school, training, and careers
• Applications and administrative matters
• Living and life in Bremen
• Personal challenges in everyday life

Opening hours and contact details are available at the following link: Careleaver.Bremen

 

"Die Wegweiser" advice center in Bremerhaven

Support is also available in Bremerhaven: "Die Wegweiser" provides advice to care leavers. They work with you to find solutions – whether you have small questions or big challenges in everyday life. You can get in touch at any time. Information: Die Wegweiser (German only)

 

Care leavers' self-advocacy: It's your turn!

Care leavers have the right to represent their own interests. They have a say in matters that affect them. This self-advocacy is self-organized. This means that it should be structured according to the ideas and visions of the young people concerned. You will meet other young adults with similar experiences there. You will support each other and can stand up for your rights. You can have a say and help shape the future. Further information can be found here: https://jugendinfo.de/topics/994/articles/361315 (German only)

 

Careleaver e. V. – the nationwide network

The Careleaver e. V. association brings together young adults from all over Germany who were previously in youth welfare.

They want to:

• strengthen each other
• have a say in politics
• and ensure that things improve

An example: They have successfully campaigned to ensure that young people in residential care no longer have to pay any contributions towards the costs of their education – since 2021, they have been allowed to keep their entire salary. Information: https://careleaver.de/ (German only)

 

In summary:

• You are entitled to aftercare when your assistance ends.
• You can come back if you need help again later.
• You can receive new assistance, even as a young adult.
• There are places that can help you – personally, confidentially , and free of charge.
• You can have a say, participate in decision-making, and make a difference.

 

The translation was done using the “DeepL” software.