Budget 2026: District struggles with skyrocketing youth costs!

Budget 2026: District struggles with skyrocketing youth costs!

The 2026 budget is causing excitement in the Alb-Donau district. District Administrator Heiner Scheffold introduced him in mid-November and warned of a very tense financial situation. There is talk of a “massive spending problem”, which is primarily due to sharply rising social spending. These expenses include, among other things, funds for care, youth welfare, guardianship as well as training grants such as Bafög and support for childminders. The Office for Family and Youth Support requires special attention, as it advances maintenance costs if single parents cannot pay, as reported in Swabian.

The Youth Welfare Committee discussed the situation in intensive consultation. According to Michelle Flohr, head of the youth and social affairs department, costs in this area have increased by almost 40 percent compared to the previous year. A look at the figures shows that the expenditure on integration assistance for people with disabilities in the 2026 budget amounts to a total of 67 million euros, which accounts for around a quarter of the social budget. Youth welfare also takes up a significant part and also accounts for a quarter of the social budget, which underlines the high priority of these issues.

Increasing costs and challenges

What is interesting is the slight but noticeable increase in maintenance costs. This results from a change in the law that requires payments until the child turns 18. In addition, cases of child endangerment are increasing and, according to KVJS Baden-Württemberg, the number of cases has doubled from 2014 to 2023. Together with a 27 percent increase in mental illnesses among adults, this clearly shows how urgently needed youth welfare services are.

Nationwide spending on child and youth welfare is also making headlines. In 2023, the federal, state and local governments raised a total of 71.9 billion euros, which represents an increase of 9.2 percent compared to 2022. The largest share of gross expenditure, 67.9 percent, goes to child day care, which adds up to almost 48.8 billion euros. Aid for education also accounts for around 23.6 percent, which corresponds to 16.9 billion euros. In the area of ​​youth welfare, 3.2 percent is invested in youth work offers and facilities, which corresponds to around 2.3 billion euros. These are remarkable amounts that go into supporting young people.

Financing and long-term development

Child and youth welfare is largely financed through tax revenue, while only a small part is covered by contributions from users and other social service providers. The annual full survey of expenditure and income by public authorities plays a crucial role in the planning of these measures and is an important basis for the evolution of child and youth welfare law. This shows that financial expenditure on youth welfare has increased by a factor of 3 since 2005: from 20.9 billion euros to 62 billion euros. This development highlights the increasing demands on support systems.

Overall, it can be seen that the financial burden and challenges in the area of ​​youth welfare are constantly increasing. Local and national politicians are faced with the task of meeting these challenges with creative solutions and sufficient resources to meet the needs of young people in the district and beyond.

Swabian reports that spending on youth welfare will remain a central issue in the future. You can find more information about the finances of child and youth welfare at Kinder-Jugendhilfe.info and in the current report from Destatis.