Eine Chance für Kinder

Eine Chance für Kinder ("A Chance for Children") is a non-profit foundation based in Hannover, Germany, dedicated to preventing the neglect and abuse of children. It was founded in 2000 by Adolf Windorfer, former president of the Lower Saxony State Health Office, and Celia Windorfer. The foundation is governed by a board of trustees (Kuratorium) and, since 2018, also by an executive board (Vorstand); Adolf Windorfer chairs the executive board, while Bert Grabe chairs the board of trustees. Its patron since November 2012 has been television journalist Gabi Bauer, who succeeded Bettina Wulff. The foundation is financed through endowment income, public funding, and donations. The foundation's central approach is preventive and interdisciplinary. It established the system of "outreach help by family midwives" (aufsuchende Hilfe durch Familienhebammen) to reach expectant mothers and families in socially and psychologically difficult situations as early as possible. Family midwives are midwives specially qualified by the foundation to support the entire family. Their low-threshold outreach work goes beyond classic midwifery tasks such as birth preparation and postpartum care, focusing on supporting and advising often young mothers and fathers. They guide parents in caring for newborns, help structure daily tasks, refer families to mother-child courses, and assist with official appointments. This support can be used until the child's first birthday. In Lower Saxony, family midwife centers support the daily work by organizing networks at the municipal level and involving all institutions and professions responsible for child protection. The target group is pregnant women and young families with infants in difficult circumstances, such as addiction problems, social isolation, or depression, regardless of whether they are known to youth welfare offices. After its founding, the foundation conducted a pilot project in Lower Saxony from 2001 to 2006 together with the Lower Saxony Ministry for Social Affairs, Women, Family, Health and Integration. Family midwives were deployed in three Lower Saxony municipalities (Braunschweig, Leer district, and Osnabrück), with scientific evaluation by the Institute for Development Planning and Structural Planning (ies). The results were consistently positive, leading Lower Saxony to incorporate outreach help into its regular support system. In April 2011, the foundation launched the campaign "Stark machen für die Schwächsten – Familienhebammen in Berlin" in four Berlin districts (Neukölln, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Mitte, and Steglitz-Zehlendorf), each with three family midwives; the Berlin Senate took over the program in 2015. In 2013, the foundation opened a family midwife center in downtown Hannover together with the city; since 2020, its sponsorship has been transferred to DIAKOVERE gGmbH Hannover. The foundation's main focus remains outreach help for mothers and children through family midwives, alongside support for projects in Sudan and life and sex education classes in Lower Saxony schools. The foundation's goal of making family midwife support available in all German states was achieved in 2012 when the Federal Child Protection Act (BKiSchG), effective January 1, 2012, legally anchored "early help" (Frühe Hilfen) for parents from pregnancy and families with infants and toddlers. The early help approach was extended to the professional group of health and pediatric nurses, with family midwives and health and pediatric nurses together forming the "Frühe Hilfen" specialists.

Eine Chance für Kinder was founded in 2000 in Hannover by Adolf Windorfer, former president of the Lower Saxony State Health Office, and Celia Windorfer. The foundation was established as a non-profit organization to combat child neglect and abuse through preventive, interdisciplinary measures. From 2001 to 2006, it conducted a pilot project in Lower Saxony together with the Lower Saxony Ministry for Social Affairs, Women, Family, Health and Integration. Family midwives were deployed in three municipalities: the city of Braunschweig, the district of Leer, and the city of Osnabrück. The project was scientifically monitored and evaluated by the Institute for Development Planning and Structural Planning GmbH (ies). The results were judged consistently positive and convincing, so after the pilot phase, outreach help was incorporated into the regular Lower Saxony support system. The foundation then transferred sponsorship of the early help specialists to the respective municipalities after the introductory phase. In April 2011, the foundation launched the campaign "Stark machen für die Schwächsten – Familienhebammen in Berlin" (Empowering the Weakest – Family Midwives in Berlin). In four Berlin districts—Neukölln, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Mitte, and Steglitz-Zehlendorf—three family midwives each were to offer help to young mothers and families. From 2015, the Berlin Senate took over the campaign into regular operation. In 2013, the foundation, together with the city of Hannover, opened a family midwife center in downtown Hannover; from 2020, its sponsorship was transferred to DIAKOVERE gGmbH Hannover. A major milestone was reached in 2012 when the Federal Child Protection Act (Bundeskinderschutzgesetz, BKiSchG), effective January 1, 2012, legally anchored "early help" (Frühe Hilfen) for parents from pregnancy and families with infants and toddlers for the first time. This achieved the foundation's goal of making support and counseling by family midwives available step by step in all German federal states. The early help approach was extended to the professional group of health and pediatric nurses. Family midwives and health and pediatric nurses together form the early help specialists (Fachkräfte Frühe Hilfen). In 2018, the foundation's leadership and supervision were expanded to include an executive board (Vorstand). Adolf Windorfer became chairman of the executive board, and Bert Grabe became chairman of the board of trustees (Kuratorium). Since November 2012, television journalist Gabi Bauer has been the foundation's patron, succeeding Bettina Wulff. The foundation finances itself through endowment income, public funding, and donations. Its main focus remains outreach help for mothers and children through family midwives. In addition, it supports projects in Sudan related to birth and infant care, and conducts life and sex education classes in Lower Saxony at special and general schools. The Sudan projects were discontinued for political reasons. Currently, family midwives are active in 42 of 60 Lower Saxony municipalities, and in ten municipalities the foundation is the provider of the outreach help measure.

• 2020

  Sponsorship of the Hannover family midwife center transferred to DIAKOVERE gGmbH Hannover.

• 2018

  Leadership expanded to include an executive board (Vorstand); Adolf Windorfer chairs it, Bert Grabe chairs the board of trustees.

• 2015

  Berlin Senate takes over the Berlin family midwife campaign into regular operation.

• 2013

  Opening of family midwife center in downtown Hannover together with the city of Hannover.

• 2012

  Federal Child Protection Act (BKiSchG) takes effect on January 1, legally anchoring early help; goal of nationwide availability achieved.

• 2012

  Gabi Bauer becomes patron in November, succeeding Bettina Wulff.

• 2011

  Launch of campaign "Stark machen für die Schwächsten – Familienhebammen in Berlin" in four Berlin districts.

• 2001

  Start of pilot project in Lower Saxony with family midwives in Braunschweig, Leer district, and Osnabrück (until 2006).

• 2000

  Foundation established in Hannover by Adolf Windorfer and Celia Windorfer.

Preventive, interdisciplinary child protection through low-threshold outreach support for families in difficult circumstances.

• 2011Stark machen für die Schwächsten – Familienhebammen in Berlin

1. 1Official websiteeine-chance-fuer-kinder.de
2. 2Wikidata entrywikidata.org
3. 3German Wikipedia articlede.wikipedia.org