Press release No. N 027 of 4 May 2021
- Number of cases increased by 156% from 2009 to 2019
- In 2019, nearly half of the children concerned were aged between 9 and 13 years
- Number of pupils in need of emotional and social support rose by 72% within the ten-year period
- Significant increase in the number of pupils receiving integration support compared with ten years ago
WIESBADEN – The emotional and social problems of children and young people play an increasing role, and it started before the coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, the children and youth welfare institutions granted integration assistance for emotionally disabled children and young people in approximately 109,200 cases. To mark the Inclusion Day on 5 May, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that this was an increase of 156% compared with ten years ago. At that time, roughly 42,600 cases of integration assistance were counted. Integration assistance is designed to help children and young people who suffer from, or are at risk of, an emotional disability to participate in social life. The assistance is provided, for example, in the form of counselling and therapies but also through learning support assistance. The latter form of assistance has gained in importance in everyday school life, which is likely to be one reason for the increase in assistance granted.