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RESEARCH PRODUCT

How best to serve at-risk youths? A critical evaluation of Germany’s socio-educational support abroad program

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description

As a last resort for Germany’s most at-risk youths, socio-educational support abroad has been practiced for more than 40 years. Far removed from Germany, difficult to educate youths receive social educational assistance in a variety of formats. The present article discusses this special social work concept that currently figures little in international child welfare discussions. It begins by introducing the concept of projects abroad, then moves on to present evidence of the program’s effectiveness from the client’s perspective. It will become apparent that a large gap exists between socio-educational goals and implementation, a background against which the discussion on appropriate child welfare interventions must be (re)visited.