Parent and family education; utilization of services

Parenting and family education programs are designed to strengthen parents, single mothers and fathers, foster parents and expectant mothers and fathers in their parenting skills.

By bringing up their children, parents make an indispensable contribution to the positive development of their children and to the future of our society.

The need for information, advice and support in matters relating to the upbringing of their children has increased significantly among parents. Parent and family education aims to help parents, single mothers and fathers, foster parents and expectant mothers and fathers to strengthen their parenting skills. This should enable parents to better fulfill their parenting responsibilities.

The following parenting and family education services are available locally:

• Family support centers
  These are contact points that provide specific parent and family education services in a municipality and are well networked with other facilities. They offer suitable and tailored help for the different needs of families depending on the age of the child and the family situation. Family support centers are affiliated with existing local facilities, e.g. mother and father centers, family education centers, but also educational counseling centers and daycare centers.
  
• Help for parents with a crying baby
  It is completely normal for babies to cry. It is the only way they can express themselves and communicate their needs. In the case of excessive crying, it is important to first clarify whether medical causes are responsible for the baby's crying. If these can be ruled out, parents can seek advice from a cry baby advice center.
  
• Network of family mentors in Bavaria
  Families can take advantage of support from volunteer family mentors to relieve their burden. The freedom this provides opens up the potential for parents to strengthen their resilience as well as their parenting and everyday skills. This should prevent stressful situations from escalating into crises.
  
• Letters to parents
  The letters to parents from the Bavarian Center for Family and Social Affairs - Bavarian Youth Welfare Office provide parents with up-to-date, clearly structured information on their child's development from birth to the age of 18. The letters to parents can be sent in the print version, read online, downloaded or subscribed to.
  
• Bayerischer Erziehungsratgeber (BAER)
  The "Bayerischer Erziehungsratgeber" portal supports families in fulfilling their educational responsibilities by providing specific assistance. The BAER covers all important areas of parenting with numerous specialist articles.
  
  

• Web coaching sessions "familienst@rk"
  The web coaching sessions are aimed at parents and address topics relating to parenting, family and partnership. Parents can ask their questions in a live chat and receive answers and tips from experts. All information on the web coaching sessions can be found on the website familienland.bayern.de
  
  

• intakt.info - self-help platform for parents of children with disabilitiesTheself-help services offered by intakt.info include comprehensible specialist information on the life of a child with a disability, the latest news and information on events and leisure activities, changes to the law, a Bavaria-wide address database with contact points and the exchange of experiences and contact with other parents in the community.
  
• Strong through bonding - tips on parental sensitivity in the first years of life
  The "Strong through bonding" topic series comprises a scientifically based parenting guide that contains scientifically based help, tips, testimonials from other parents and further offers of help.
  The brochure is supplemented by fanfolds in 18 different languages with easy-to-understand tips and links. The series also includes short videos and expert films on selected everyday parenting issues that give parents valuable tips on how to deal with and resolve difficult situations.
  
  
• Strong through parenting
  The brochure published as part of the "Strong through parenting" campaign contains eight messages that contribute to successful parenting. The brochure is also available in 16 foreign languages (including English, French, Russian and Arabic, for example) and in plain language. All editions are also available for download.
  
  
• Freedom within limits
  The "Freedom within limits" brochure not only provides parents with pre-school children with important information on a development-promoting parenting attitude and fundamental parenting issues, but also describes typical problem situations in everyday parenting. Parents can question, correct and practice their parenting behavior. The brochure can be ordered free of charge.
  
  
• To keep the love
  The website "To keep the love" is designed to help improve communication between couples and deepen the relationship. It offers extensive information on partnership, love and communication.