10 years of first visit service of the city of Jena

Around 1100 children are born in Jena every year. All parents of these newborns receive a welcome letter with a suggested visit date. This letter is always signed by the Lord Mayor.

The families are then visited by volunteers from the first visit service. "This requires a lot of organization," says Steffi Herold, coordinator of the welcome visit service. As a rule, up to 10 employees are out and about in the city every day with a bag full of information and a few small welcome gifts. "All the women are mothers themselves and know their way around the city network. A baby is first and foremost a reason for great joy, but this little person also brings about drastic changes in the family. It was not uncommon for us to meet sad mothers. Here, our employees were often able to provide help.

Since May 2009, around 9000 babies and their parents have been visited by a total of 40 employees. In addition to all kinds of useful information about children growing up and children's health, this home visit also provides information about contact points and support options for families in the city of Jena.

The "Early Help Network", coordinated by Yvonne Hoyer-Bachmann in the city's youth welfare department, has been in existence since 2012. Numerous institutions and advice centers work together here on a multi-professional basis to offer parents low-threshold and well-coordinated support.

The anniversary of the first visit service will also be celebrated with parents. A special event is being held in Jenaer Paradies to mark the occasion:

Book author Nicola Schmidt will be giving a talk on the topic of Slow Family
"It takes a whole village to raise a child. Seven ingredients for a simple life with children."
Friday, 14.06.2019, 14.00 hrs
Aula of the UniverSaale

The event is free of charge. There will be fun and games for kids on site. Contact persons from the Early Help Network will also be on hand to answer questions.