"A city that is friendly to children and families is also friendly to everything," says Klingebiel. Supporting children and families is a combination of various factors and requires good cooperation between all facilities and institutions. The city of Salzgitter is facing up to the outstanding importance of this current topic and has, emphasized the Lord Mayor, initiated initial measures in recent months.

These include increasing language support and improving pre-school education in kindergartens, setting up a children and family service office and strengthening socio-educational work in the specialist department for children, youth and family. The city has also joined the European city network "Cities for Children".

The next steps in the expansion of child and family-friendly structures are already planned: since August 1, 2007, a department for child and family support has been set up that reports directly to the Lord Mayor. In addition, the position of a children's representative has been advertised. The tasks of the new employee include, in particular, strengthening and expanding the existing range of services for children and families, improving marketing and drawing up a children and family promotion plan for the first time.

In order not to lose any time, Klingebiel would like to carry out an inventory of the existing support and services for children and families as well as a collection of all the information required to expand a municipal network and publish a corresponding compilation before hiring the children's commissioner.

Later, the further development with the associated ideas, goals and measures will be presented in a second part. In addition to all specialist services and companies of the City of Salzgitter, all other agencies, associations, institutions and commercial enterprises involved in the promotion of children and families are invited to participate. An initial outline of the intended compilation can be viewed below under "Downloads".

The opening event will take place on Wednesday, September 19, in the Council Chamber, in view of the vacation and main vacation period. The children's commissioner of the state capital of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart, is expected to attend the event as a guest speaker.

As the first part is purely an inventory, suggestions, ideas etc. for further development should be submitted separately. The postal address is: Stadt Salzgitter, Referat für Kinder- und Familienförderung, Postfach 100680, 38206 Salzgitter. It is also possible to hand in appropriately addressed mail at the mailbox or at the city offices.