Early detection and promotion: Lebenshilfe-Werk receives district grant
An important part of the work of the Lebenshilfe-Werk Kreis Waldeck-Frankenberg e. V. is the early identification and early support of children with (impending) disabilities. However, these services are still not adequately funded. The district of Waldeck-Frankenberg has therefore been supporting the Lebenshilfe-Werk for years with a voluntary grant, and will continue to do so in 2023. First district councillor and head of the youth department Karl-Friedrich Frese now handed over the corresponding grant of 60,000 euros to the deputy chairperson of the association Dorike Hentrich.
"As a social welfare agency, the district is responsible for integration assistance, which includes early intervention, but according to the Social Code, this only includes curative education services," Frese explained. Financial deficits in the early intervention centre arise primarily in the area of medical-therapeutic treatments. "It is important to us that the early intervention centres in Korbach and Frankenberg are maintained", which is why the district has again decided in favour of the aforementioned grant.
Dorike Hentrich, deputy chairperson of the Lebenshilfe-Werk, also made it clear once again that as long as there is no finished and concrete state framework agreement on the topic of early intervention, which services are to be recognised and financed, it will not be possible to offer the service in a way that covers the costs. A corresponding framework agreement was to be drawn up by 1 July 2023, but it was still far from being realised. The state of Hesse would have to issue a decree if no agreement could be reached; the grant from the district would help the Lebenshilfe-Werk a great deal, Ms Hentrich thanked the youth department head for the welcome support.
In the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg, early intervention has a long tradition, not least due to the commitment of the Korbach paediatrician Dr Michael Ehrlich. It is offered on an interdisciplinary basis and, as a grown system, is of high quality. The first district councillor praised the excellent service, saying that parents are in good hands. "In many cases, the Lebenshilfe-Werk is the first point of contact for concerned parents whose children have been diagnosed with a disability," Dorike Hentrich confirmed. In Waldeck-Frankenberg, the services could fortunately be maintained thanks to people with a high level of expertise. A shortage of skilled workers is slowly becoming noticeable and must be included in further design considerations in the future.