SOS Children's Villages started working in Germany in the mid-1950s, after the foundation of "SOS-Kinderdorf e.V." in Munich. The SOS Children's Villages concept aroused great interest in Germany; the number of members and friends rapidly increased, and in subsequent years our organisation was able to expand its support to reach children, young people and families in nearly 40 locations around the country.
The SOS Children's Village Schleswig-Holstein comprises eleven family houses and was opened in 1970. It is located in the city of Lütjenburg, close to the Baltic Sea. Today the SOS Children's Village Schleswig-Holstein and the ancillary educational community accommodate about 70 children.
The SOS Children's Village Schleswig-Holstein offers a variety of ancillary facilities and services. About 30 children attend the day care centre. An educational community offers room to eight to ten children and youth in need of temporary external accommodation due to grave conflicts within their natural families. The community was designed for medium term care and its goal is the re-integration of the children into their natural families. Moreover, girls and boys from sixteen to twenty-two years have the possibility to join one of the two semi-independent housing programs, where they can live nearly independent, but under the guidance of their educators. The youth receive support and advice in school and vocational affairs and are prepared to cope with the challenges of every day life. A training centre for home economics with twelve training posts and a hostel for the apprentices are also available. The SOS Children's Village Schleswig-Holstein also maintains an educational service for SOS children and for the children from the vicinity.
