Shock in Vogtland: District office ends cooperation with autism center!

Shock in Vogtland: District office ends cooperation with autism center!

A big blow for the support landscape in Vogtland: To the regret of many affected families, the district office in Plauen has terminated the contracts with the Vogtland Autism Center. This not only means a sum of around 1.2 million euros, but above all a great deal of uncertainty for the numerous autistic children and young people who rely on the services offered by this facility. Loud Free press The reasons for this sudden decision remain unclear.

On May 13, 2025, the district office terminated the cooperation as of December 31, 2025 - without any explanation. This affects crucial service areas such as school support, family support services, accompanying parents and social skills training. Sabine Heckel, the co-founder of the autism center and recently awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for her tireless efforts, was visibly frustrated by this situation and emphasized the existential threat to the center.

A shock for those affected

“This is a serious blow for everyone!” Heckel expressed her displeasure and called for the termination to be revoked. The club, which was founded in 2005, wanted to celebrate a milestone birthday this year, which is now overshadowed by uncertainty. Termination not only represents a financial burden; Above all, it endangers the security of care for the people being cared for. The Autism Center sees itself as having a duty to defend the rights of those affected and points out that a proper balancing of interests was apparently not carried out before making this decision.

For many parents and those affected, this decision is a real blow to the neck. The public sector is not allowed to terminate such contracts without an objective reason, as they also affect the fate of people with disabilities. Reference should also be made to the applicable European legal framework, as set out in a resolution of the European Parliament be mentioned, where the rights of people with disabilities are recorded and access to supportive services is to be ensured.

The future remains uncertain

The termination could possibly be viewed as unlawful, especially since it was done without sufficient reasons and there was no careful review by the district office. Families with autistic children often wait a long time for support, and if they lose their contacts now, this could further aggravate the situation. Such measures are counterproductive, particularly in current times when there is a need for increased awareness of the needs of people with disabilities.

The autism center not only undermines investments in personnel and infrastructure, but also the hope for improved living conditions for autistic people. The challenges people with autism face range from discrimination in everyday life to significant difficulties accessing support services. An estimated 5 million people in the EU suffer from autism and it is they who need trusting cooperation with institutions to improve their quality of life.

This development is not only being followed closely locally; It shows how important it is to raise your voice for affected families and to stand up for their rights. With a clear call on those responsible to maintain people's trust in social structures, the appeal follows to reconsider the termination and thus also to take the concerns of many parents seriously.