Young refugees: Saxony makes demands on federal government

Because of an increased number of unaccompanied minor foreigners, the Saxon Ministry of Social Affairs, the Association of Towns and Municipalities and the Association of Counties have addressed three demands to the federal government. "Improvements are needed and we must clarify together how we can implement them," said Saxon Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) in Dresden on Thursday. Her ministry had already supported the municipal level in the best possible way with two decrees in 2022 and this fall. Now it is the turn of the federal government.

"We now demand from the federal government that it fully finances the construction and operation of municipal infrastructure for temporary protection measures for unaccompanied minor refugees." Thus, the facilities should be given more stability and planning security. "No one is helped by constant ups and downs in the closure and opening of facilities," Köpping said. The capacities should be flexibly usable and benefit all children and young people.

In addition, it must be examined whether male unaccompanied foreigners from 16 years can also be accommodated in initial reception facilities. There they could be accommodated first in separate areas and with care. Until now, they have been housed in child and youth welfare facilities. In individual cases an accommodation in community accommodations is already possible.

It must also be examined to what extent factual responsibilities of the operating license - for example the maximum permissible group size - can be transferred for a limited period of time from the state youth welfare office to the local youth welfare organizations. The transfer of responsibility to the local level is intended to speed up the placement of minors. The legal mandate - to perform the tasks of protecting children and adolescents in institutions - remains unaffected by the transfer of responsibility.

Because the lowering of standards is viewed critically by the youth welfare agencies, it is to remain, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs, initially with test orders to the federal government.

From January to the end of September, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs in Saxony, 1959 unaccompanied minor foreigners have been temporarily taken into custody by the youth welfare offices. Of these, about half remained in Saxony (1002). Accordingly, by the end of September, initial admissions had increased by 81.1 percent compared to the same period last year. The increase in stock by 57.3 percent.