Oldenburg district council calls on the state of Lower Saxony to provide funding!

Oldenburg district council calls on the state of Lower Saxony to provide funding!

Something is happening in the Oldenburg district: The district council has unanimously recognized the urgent need for the state of Lower Saxony to take greater responsibility for school social work. This emerges from a recent resolution that was passed in Wildeshausen on Tuesday. As NWZ Online reports, Kreszentia Flauger from the Greens emphasizes the clear state task in this regard. Dirk Vorlauf from the CDU also emphasizes the importance of school social work, but at the same time points out the district's financial bottlenecks.

The debate about school social work is not new: this topic has been a recurring concern in municipalities since 2008. The district council warns that many tasks that are actually the responsibility of the state should not be dumped on the shoulders of the municipalities - especially not without sufficient financial resources. This is also supported by Thore Güldner (SPD), who states that although the country has created some jobs in recent years, the need for school social work remains high.

The need for school social work is growing

But why is this so important? Young people at schools are increasingly confronted with challenges such as cyberbullying and self-doubt. In this context, school social workers play a central role as contact persons. Marion Daniel from the FDP and other council members are therefore emphatically calling for financial support from the state for this important work. It is not just a question of financing, but also the future of many young people in the region.

There are currently seven school social workers in municipal employment and five in state employment in the Oldenburg district. But the distribution of these resources does not correspond to the actual number of students and the specific needs of the schools. Schools report a fundamental need for more school social work and additional teaching staff to address the challenges that affect students.

Clear need for action for the state of Lower Saxony

The emerging need for action is also made clear in a decree from the state of Lower Saxony, which came into force on August 1, 2017. This decree, entitled “Social Work with School Responsibility”, aims to ensure a high quality standard for social pedagogical work nationwide and to ensure flexibility in the provision of social pedagogical expertise locally. This was developed in a dialogue process with various stakeholders such as school management associations and the state student council in order to guarantee practical implementation. Further information can be found in the Lower Saxony Ministry.

In summary, it is clear: The Oldenburg district is not only demanding more financial resources from the state of Lower Saxony, but also a sustainable strategy to ensure school social work. The ongoing disagreement between the municipalities and the state regarding financing is increasingly becoming a stumbling block on the way to improved educational provision in our schools.