Sleepless nights and long evenings with a crying child in your arms can drain all the strength that is so desperately needed right now. On top of that, the household also has to be managed. If financial worries or relationship problems are added to the mix, relationships and families can break apart. In such situations, the Federal Foundation for Early Support (Frühe Hilfen) helps.
Support when it counts – The Federal Foundation for Early Support
The acute stress of having an infant can push couples or single parents to their breaking point, especially when other problems arise. If you no longer know what to do, you should seek professional help. There are plenty of options – one of them, for example, is the Federal Foundation for Early Support (Frühe Hilfen). Its goal is to support parents during this difficult time.
Early Support – what is behind it?
Since the beginning of 2018, the Federal Foundation for Early Support has taken on the task of providing psychosocial support to families with children from infancy up to 3 years of age. Around 52 million euros are provided annually for this purpose.
The help offers are available regionally and aim to improve the relationship between parents and child and to provide children with more development opportunities. The offer primarily aims to address particularly burdened families.
Furthermore, Early Support applies in particular to expectant parents. As part of their work, they contribute to identifying and reducing risks to the well-being and development of the child from the very beginning. One focus is on improving the relationship and parenting skills of the parents.
The core idea is to connect already existing support offers with each other – pregnancy counseling, various support facilities for families, the healthcare system, and child welfare. A network is to be created in which all help offers intermesh and are available to those seeking help.
Federal Foundation for Early Support – short explanatory video
What exactly does Early Support look like?
To take advantage of Early Support, affected parents look for a contact address near them (the network is now represented nationwide throughout Germany) and make contact. Subsequently, specialized midwives, social pedagogues, or pediatric nurses conduct a consultation. The employees have an open ear for all problems and usually also make home visits if necessary.
Their task is to provide parents with targeted information, advice, and support in their everyday lives. If necessary, this also includes referral to other counseling and support offers. All of this is tailored individually to the respective needs of the family. The offer is free of charge, quickly available, confidential, and unbureaucratic.
Alliance against Shaken Baby Syndrome
The Federal Foundation builds on the National Center for Early Support, which launched the Alliance against Shaken Baby Syndrome at the end of 2017. This alliance has set itself the goal of drawing attention to the dangers that arise from overwhelmed parents shaking their baby. Over 30 associations and institutions from the health and social sectors have joined the alliance.
swing2sleep has also been committed to this goal from the very beginning. In fact, it is the reason we exist!
The concept of our automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep was created 16 years ago. It relieves affected parents whose baby suffers from a regulatory disorder and exhibits long, excessive crying phases. Because of the cozy closeness and the continuous up-and-down bouncing, babies feel almost like they are back in mom's belly. This allows them to calm down much more easily and fall asleep faster. This brings peace to the chaos, and mom and dad can both take a breather.
