Action plan against child poverty works: Nordentchen strengthen early participation in education

With the action plan against child poverty adopted in the summer, the city of Offenbach is sending out a clear signal for greater social participation of children, young people and their families who are affected by poverty or at risk of disability. A central component of this package of measures is the inclusive group program for children without a daycare place offered by Behindertenhilfe Offenbach, which is financed with funds from the action plan.

Since October 2025, the outpatient service of Behindertenhilfe Offenbach has offered a new group program: the "Nordentchen". The offer is aimed at children with and without disabilities aged three to six who currently do not have a place in a daycare center.

In the rooms of the Nordendtreff, the children can gain their first experiences in a small group with their peers. "In addition to fixed structures and rituals, the Nordentchen provide a safe space and the right support for the children to try things out at their own pace," explains Hendrik Eggers, Managing Director of Behindertenhilfe Offenbach. The group is deliberately kept small with six children so that each child can receive targeted support. The group meets for three hours on two mornings.

On Wednesday, Mayor Sabine Groß visited the service and expressed her sincere thanks to Managing Director Eggers: "Studies show that children with special needs, but also children affected by poverty, are less likely to get a place in a daycare center. This puts them at a clear disadvantage from an early age in terms of their participation in education. For this reason, Nordentchen is an important offer for families in Offenbach whose children do not yet have a place in a daycare center. Participation builds a valuable bridge to daycare and is a real support for families."

All places are currently taken - but interested parties can make a reservation by emailing o.gerlbehindertenhilfe.offenbachde

"Of course, our goal remains to continue expanding the number of daycare places so that all children in our city can find a place. With almost 1,000 new daycare places since the beginning of my term of office, we have already made great progress, but we have not yet reached our goal," says Groß.

The city provides 150,000 euros annually (250,000 euros from 2026) for the implementation of the municipal action plan against child poverty. The first measures, which are being implemented under the leadership of the Youth Welfare Office with numerous committed project partners, were launched in autumn 2025. To coordinate the action plan, the city also receives funding from the Hessian state program Präventionsketten - Gesund Aufwachsen. Living children's rights. In addition to the inclusive services offered by the Disability Services, the Health Café for Families, a training series on poverty awareness, the expansion of the ECHO project - parent support at the transition from nursery to elementary school, a low-cost meal service at the Neusalzer Straße children's club and workshops for children on children's rights and participation in cooperation with the Goethe School have already been launched in 2025.