Brandenburg starts help for 56,000 children from families suffering from addiction!

Brandenburg starts help for 56,000 children from families suffering from addiction!

Support for children from families suffering from addiction in Brandenburg is about to see a significant improvement. Andrea Hardeling, managing director of the State Office for Addiction Issues, announced new support models that will be tested in three model communities that have yet to be selected. This initiative is particularly urgent because one in six children in Germany grows up in a household with at least one parent who is addicted or mentally ill. In Brandenburg alone, this affects around 56,000 children up to the age of 14, as Health Minister Britta Müller explains.

In order to be able to help these children effectively, specialists such as educators, educators and sports trainers must be trained accordingly. These qualified people should be able to recognize the situation of the affected children at an early stage and initiate appropriate offers of help. The overall goal is to ensure that these children do not develop addictions or mental health problems themselves. The cooperation between actors in the municipalities should also be improved in order to create a more effective network to support those affected.

The needs and the challenges

The current care for children from families suffering from addiction or psychological problems is often viewed as inadequate. A significant lack of ideas and knowledge in dealing with the specific situation of these children and their families is a central problem. The stigmatization of addictions also makes it difficult to have an open dialogue about offers of help. According to estimates, two thirds of children from troubled families have an increased risk of becoming ill themselves.

These challenges make the planned projects particularly relevant, as the municipal responsibility for prevention is significant. As part of the new initiatives, districts and independent cities in Brandenburg can apply for the prevention projects of the State Office for Addiction Issues. Financing is provided by the GKV Alliance for Health as well as by the Auridis Foundation and the Brandenburg Ministry of Health.

Long-term prospects and advantages

In Germany, an estimated three to four million children and young people live with an addicted parent. A third of these children develop an addiction themselves, while another third suffer from other mental illnesses. This results in an increased health and job promotion cost risk for society. This situation makes addiction prevention not only an important social task, but also an investment in the future in order to enable social participation and improve successful working lives.

Support for children of addicted parents should be a central component of a comprehensive municipal addiction prevention strategy. Long-term support measures can also relieve the burden on municipalities' youth welfare budgets and sustainably improve the reality of life for the families affected. A coordinated approach and the involvement of all relevant regional actors are crucial for the success of such projects.

The planned measures aim to reach children in their living environment, such as in schools or daycare centers. This also requires a corresponding network that promotes the exchange of individual cases and the planning of comprehensive support measures. Awareness-raising and qualification measures for youth welfare employees are also of central importance in order to successfully address the differentiated support needs.

The upcoming projects to support children from families affected by addiction are a step in the right direction to enable these affected children to grow up healthy and with opportunities - a concern that is of great importance for those affected and society as a whole.