As of: March 13, 2024, 5:39 a.m
By: Charlotte Borst
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In 2023, 290 children with mental disabilities in the district had a personal assistant in class.
© Symbolic photo: Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa
Because costs have exploded, the Munich district wants to use school companions more efficiently.
He is already negotiating with the special schools.
In many cases, 1:1 support is not necessary.
District – School companions are important for children with increased support needs.
However, their number increases by around 20 percent from year to year.
This is expensive, and in many cases this 1:1 support is not even necessary.
The district is therefore taking a different approach.
In 2023, 290 children with mental disabilities in the district had a personal assistant in class, 25 are still on the waiting list (2018: 133).
School counselors clarify emotionally difficult situations and notice when a child needs a break.
They take care if, for example, a student has to cry a lot, suddenly lashes out or constantly wears headphones in class.
This is how they ensure that every child attends school.
Need has increased through inclusion
This help is now indispensable, said the head of the youth welfare office, Uwe Hacker, at the meeting of the youth welfare committee.
There are currently 53 companions on duty, especially in the two social-educational support centers in Unterhaching and Unterschleißheim. There are 131 school companions at the primary and secondary schools.
The costs more than doubled from 2018 to 2023, from 2.37 to 5.46 million euros (average hourly rate 42 euros).
The district is now moving away from 1:1 care at the support centers.
Students should take turns receiving help from a team of school support staff.
“Infrastructural pooling” is intended to make the use of helpers more efficient.
One school companion for two classes should be enough, according to the youth welfare office's suggestion.
While the district is responsible for children with mental and physical disabilities, the district finances companions for children with mental disabilities.
In view of rising costs, Hacker asked: “How should this continue?” Budget resources could be used more efficiently.
“If a child has 25 school hours per week, we approve 25 hours of school supervision.” But a child does not need help every lesson.
Correct key will be further negotiated
However, the right key is still being negotiated with schools, providers, youth social work, teachers and parents.
A coordinator should distribute the forces according to needs.
They also want to agree on additional services so that school companions have time for further training and discussions with teachers and parents.
The committee decided this unanimously.
Pooling would also have advantages for the children, Hacker argued: They would be less stigmatized if there wasn't an adult sitting next to them all the time.
The youth welfare committee, in which representatives from the Paritätisches Wohlfahrtsverband, Caritas and AWO also have the right to speak and vote, discussed controversially: It was impossible to plan when a child would end up in a state of emergency, it was said.
The youth welfare office should first develop an educational concept instead of basing its suggestions on costs.
“A school companion for two classes – how is that supposed to work?” asked FDP district councilor Katharina Diem.
Ideas are far apart
The search for the right key should continue until the next meeting.
“It has already become clear that the school can compensate for a lot,” said Hacker.
“The ideas of the school management and the youth welfare office for personnel planning are still far apart,” he admitted.
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A pooling model experiment is already running at the Unterschleißheim support center: 18 school companions look after 33 students.
The experience has been good, says Hacker.
There will also be pooling in Unterhaching by the start of the new school year: 26 school counselors are currently looking after 33 students here.
This is possible because tandems already exist in which a companion helps two or three students.
Further news from Unterschleißheim and the Munich district can be found here.