Uckermark: District administrator is planning a legal dispute over school social work!

Uckermark: District administrator is planning a legal dispute over school social work!

The debate about the financing of school social work in Brandenburg is causing a stir. The focus is currently on the Uckermark district because District Administrator Karina Dörk (CDU) is seeking to join a constitutional complaint. The background is the transfer of school social work to the districts, which according to the law should apply to all municipalities in Brandenburg. This was anchored by the Brandenburg Children and Youth Act, which has been in force since August 1, 2024. However, there is no necessary financial compensation from the state, which should actually be granted under the principle of connectivity. [Nordkurier] reports that the Dahme-Spreewald district is already legally dealing with the regulations on school social work.

Interest is particularly high in view of the upcoming district council meeting on June 25th, the meeting of which will be public. Here Dörk would like to obtain the consent of the Uckermark district council members, while District Administrator Sven Herzberger from Dahme-Spreewald is offering other districts and independent cities to join his class action lawsuit. A joint approach could strengthen the position of the districts and create better financial conditions for school social work.

The role of school social work

School social work plays a central role in Brandenburg's education system. The offers are aimed at all students and serve individual and social development by reducing social and educational disadvantages. The focus is on promoting personal development and crisis intervention. Even if social work operates independently of schools, it requires systematic cooperation between schools and youth welfare services. The legal basis for this work can be found in SGB VIII and the Brandenburg School Act, which defines clear guidelines for cooperation. According to [MBJS Fachportal], school social workers are also active at high schools and all-day schools, among others.

The demographic development in Brandenburg also means that there are fewer and fewer young people of the same age. This challenge is further exacerbated by long journeys to school. Social work in schools plays an important bridging role and ensures that the needs of children and young people are taken seriously. Cooperation with external school partners is not only required, but also essential in order to take leisure interests and social-educational needs into account.

The future of school social work

A look back shows that the topics surrounding school social work in Brandenburg are not new. A nationwide conference took place in 2013, the aim of which was to promote better networking and regular exchange. These efforts led to the founding of an initiative group with the aim of establishing a state working group (LAG), which now has 32 members. This group is committed to quality assurance and further development of school social work and supports local specialists. Further information and news about the development of the LAG can be found at [School Social Work Brandenburg].

It remains to be seen how the various districts will respond to the existing challenges and whether an agreement can be reached regarding school social work. In particular, the upcoming district council meeting and the possibility of joining together to lodge a constitutional complaint could be important guides for the next steps.