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Partnership and Family

For many people, family is a very important area of their life. Marriage, partnerships and families can have all sorts of constellations. They can include adoptive and foster children, and can be based on LGBT parenting or patchwork family structures. Family structures can also evolve into lone parents with children if a couple separates or a partner dies. Names are changed, certificates are issued – there is a whole lot of bureaucracy involved.

There are 5 living situations for Partnership and Family

There are 136 services for Partnership and Family

Admission to secondary schools Counselling

Advice on the transition to secondary school
Adoption of a child after placement by the Youth Welfare Office

Adoption as a child is pronounced by the family court at the request of the adopter.
Adoption of a foreign child, transformation of a weak adoption into a strong one

A so-called weak adoption of a child carried out abroad can be converted into a so-called strong adoption by order of the family court.
Advice and support for guardians and caregivers

Guardians and caregivers can get help from the Youth Welfare Office.
Annulment of marriage

If you believe that your marriage is not legal, you can apply for the annulment of your marriage.
Application for exemption from the requirement to present the certificate of no impediment to marriage for foreign nationals

If you do not have German citizenship and want to get married in Germany, you will need a certificate of no impediment to marriage from your home country. If you are not issued...
Application for the issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for German nationals, stateless persons, homeless foreigners or foreign refugees within the meaning of the Convention on the Status of Refugees with Habitual Residence in Germany

If you want to marry abroad as a German citizen, the requirements for marriage are determined by German law. You can also apply for the issuance of a German certificate of no...
Application for the return of the child by way of a preliminary injunction (summary proceedings)

Personal custody includes the right to demand the return of the child from anyone who withholds it from the parents or from a parent.
Apply for a civil partnership certificate

Do you need a civil partnership certificate? You can obtain your civil partnership certificate from the registry office in whose area of responsibility the civil partnership was...
Apply for a civil partnership certificate for a civil partnership concluded abroad

Did you enter into a civil partnership abroad? Then you can still apply for a civil partnership certificate at a German registry office. For this purpose, you must have your...
Apply for a marriage certificate

Do you need a marriage certificate? You can obtain your marriage certificate at the registry office in whose area the marriage was concluded. The registry office issues them...
Apply for a reduction in daycare costs

You can no longer pay the daycare costs for your child? Check whether you are eligible for a reduction in daycare costs.
Apply for co-payments and/or co-payments for health care for foster child(ren)

If the health insurance coverage of a foster child is not sufficient for necessary measures, the Youth Welfare Office may be able to cover the necessary co-payments or co-payments.
Apply for exemption from daycare costs

You can no longer pay the daycare costs for your child? Check whether you are eligible for an exemption from daycare costs.
Apply for intensive socio-pedagogical one-to-one support

Adolescents and young adults in difficult life situations can receive help to become more independent and to cope better in society.
Apply for parenting help

Parents, as a rule, take care of the upbringing and care of a child. However, it may also be necessary for the state to help with education.
Applying as a Foster Parent, Aptitude Test

Would you like to take in a foster child? Then you must first qualify as a foster parent.
Applying for a maintenance advance for children of single parents

Are you a single parent and receive no or only partial maintenance from the other parent? Then, under certain conditions, you can apply for a maintenance advance.
Applying for a parenting assistant or care assistant

Does your child have problems in everyday life or in his or her development? As a parent, you can't help your child on your own? Then a guardian can support your child.
Applying for a re-certification of a marriage

If you got married abroad and one of you has German citizenship, you can have the marriage re-registered in Germany. For the possession of German citizenship, the date of...
Applying for a subsidy for fertility treatment

Do you have an unfulfilled desire to have children? Couples can receive financial support for fertility treatment.
Applying for a subsidy for old-age security as a foster parent/caregiver

Caregivers can receive a subsidy for their retirement savings.
Applying for accident insurance as a foster parent

Full-time care benefits also include the reimbursement of proven reasonable expenses for contributions to accident insurance, provided that there is no statutory accident...
Applying for accommodation, care and care in a children's home or other form of assisted living

If you cannot ensure that your child is doing well in your home, then your child can live temporarily or for a longer period of time in an inpatient facility (home education) or...
Applying for an extension of the residence permit for the family reunification of a foreign child with a German parent

Foreign, minor and unmarried children with a residence permit for family reunification with a German parent can receive an extension of the residence permit as long as the...
Applying for assistance for full-time care education

If you cannot ensure that your child is doing well in your home, then your child may be in foster care temporarily or permanently.
Applying for child supplement

If, as a parent, you earn enough income for yourself, but the income is not or only just enough for the entire family, you can apply for the child supplement.
Applying for child support

Despite all the conflicts in the event of separation or divorce, parents should mutually agree on maintenance claims for the benefit of their children. The legislator does not...
Applying for coverage of voluntary health insurance contributions for foster children

If family insurance is not possible for a foster child and there is no compulsory insurance, the Youth Welfare Office can pay appropriate contributions for voluntary health...
Applying for education in a day group

Does your child have problems in everyday life or in his or her development? As a parent, do you need support with your upbringing? Then raising your child in a day group can be...
Applying for follow-up care after the end of full-time care for foster children

If full-time care ends, the foster child can continue to be accompanied as a young adult.
Applying for integration assistance for children and young people with mental disabilities or imminent mental disabilities

Does your child have a mental disability or is at risk of it? Is his participation in society therefore restricted? In this case, integration assistance can help.
Applying for monthly benefits for the maintenance of foster children

In the case of full-time care services, the necessary maintenance of the minor and young adult is ensured by ongoing benefits. The necessary maintenance includes the costs for...
Applying for socio-pedagogical family assistance

Do you as a family or as a single parent need support to cope with your everyday family life? Then socio-pedagogical family assistance is an option for you. Socio-pedagogical...
Applying for the adoption of a foreign child

Do you want to adopt a child from abroad?
Applying for the adoption of an adult

If you wish to adopt an adult, you and the adoptee can apply to the family court.
Assertion of a claim for the distribution of household items in the case of separated partners

If you are married or in a civil partnership but are separated, you can request a distribution of household items for the period of separation.
Assertion of the maintenance claim of the mother of a child born out of wedlock

As an unmarried mother, you can claim maintenance from the child's father on the occasion of the birth of their child.
Care and care of children and adolescents in emergency situations

Children and adolescents who have been victims of single or repeated abuse urgently need protection and help from other adults. Those who are "close" can help most...
Certificate of no impediment to marriage for foreign persons

If you want to marry as a foreigner in Germany, you may need a certificate of no impediment to marriage.
Changing the order of first names

If you have more than one first name, you can have their order changed by means of an explanation.
Child protection in Lower Saxony

The Internet portal Child Protection in Lower Saxony is a project of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Equality (MS) to intensify child protection in Lower...
Child supplement

Parents and single parents can receive a child supplement for their unmarried children under 25 years of age if they live in a common household.
Child supplement payment

The amount of the child supplement depends on the income and assets of the parents and children and amounts to a maximum of 185 euros per month and child. The amount of the...
Claiming child support in quicker, easier court proceedings

In the case of a minor child of separated parents, reasonable maintenance may be demanded from the person liable for maintenance.
Claiming divorcee maintenance

If you are legally divorced and unable to support yourself, you can claim adequate maintenance from your former spouse.
Claiming maintenance during the separation period

If you are married or in a civil partnership but are separated, you can claim adequate maintenance from your partner even before the divorce.
Communicate changes that are important for receiving maintenance advances

Are you receiving an advance on maintenance and have there been any changes? Report them immediately.
Compulsory education

All children who have reached the age of six by a fixed deadline will be required to attend school at the beginning of the following school year. At the request of the legal...
Consent of the father to the adoption of a child

If you want to give your child up for adoption and are not married to the mother, you can consent to the adoption before the child is born. In addition, you can waive the need...
Continuation of accommodation / assistance for young adults as foster children, accompaniment

If it is important for their development, young adults can continue to receive educational assistance after their 18th birthday and be placed in full-time care.
Conversion of an existing domestic civil partnership into a marriage

An existing domestic civil partnership is converted into a marriage if both partners declare before the registrar personally and in simultaneous presence that they wish to marry...
Conversion of an existing domestic civil partnership into a marriage Application

The civil partnership is continued as a marriage after the conversion.
Counselling telephone "Number against grief"

Under the free counselling telephone 0800/1110333 , children and young people can talk to qualified counsellors about every conceivable problem. If necessary (e.g. if...
Custody - Request Transfer and Withdrawal

The family court may, upon request, award parental authority or part of it to one of the parents. If parents separate or divorce, joint custody of their joint children...
Day care

Forms of public child day care are Day-care centres for children (crèche groups, kindergarten groups, after-school groups, cross-age groups) Day care for children ...
Declaration by the applicants for adoption that they are willing to adopt the child proposed to them.

If it is possible to adopt a child living abroad, applicants for adoption will be asked by the foreign placement agency to declare that they are willing to adopt this child....
Declaration of the right to a name

Surname declarations can be made in the following cases, among others: In the case of spouses: Subsequent determination of a married name, e.g. after marriage abroad ...
Declaration on the use of a name - Declaration on the use of names of spouses without a domestic marriage or marriage entry

Under certain circumstances, married persons may also be able to use their name after the marriage abroad by declaration before a German registry office. The registry office...
Determine a child's maintenance claims and have them notarized as a maintenance obligation

If the other parent does not pay maintenance, you can get support from the guardianship and have the maintenance obligation notarized. The Maintenance Advance Allowance Office...
Dissolution or "divorce" of the civil partnership

If you want to end your civil partnership, you can apply for the dissolution of your civil partnership.
Divorce

In the case of divorce, the principle of disruption applies. After that, a marriage can be divorced if it has failed. The marriage has failed when the cohabitation of the...
Early Aid Offer

In order to give children in Germany a fair chance of healthy development right from the start, there are a variety of offers for families: welcome visits, parent courses,...
Educational aids

The upbringing and care of a child is primarily carried out by the parents. Sometimes, however, additional assistance from the state may be necessary in education. Although the...
Enforcing maintenance claims from abroad

It is often difficult for the maintenance creditors to enforce a claim if the maintenance debtors are resident in another country. Due to the existence of different legal...
Enforcing maintenance claims of a child living abroad in court in Germany

If the other parent liable for maintenance lives in Germany and you want to claim maintenance for your child living abroad, you can have this claim enforced in court.
Enroll a child in daycare

Do you want to enroll your child in day care? The education, upbringing and care of your child takes place in crèches, kindergartens, after-school care centres or by day care...
Entitlement to a place in a day care centre

Every child has a legal right to child day care at the age of one.
Entry in the matrimonial property register after the conclusion of a marriage contract

If you have concluded a prenuptial agreement, you can register your chosen matrimonial property regime in the matrimonial property register.
Establishment of a civil partnership Notarisation

The establishment of the civil partnership is certified with a civil partnership certificate . Special conditions apply to the certification of civil partnerships established...
Establishment of guardianship and guardianship

Legal representation must be ensured for each minor. This representation can take place within the framework of a guardianship or guardianship if the parents are unable or...
Examine and pursue maintenance claims against a person living abroad.

If the other parent lives abroad and does not pay maintenance, you can get support from the guardianship and the district court.
Examine maintenance claims against a person living abroad and refer them to the competent authorities.

If the other parent lives abroad and does not pay maintenance, you can obtain support from the guardianship and the local court.
Examine maintenance claims against a person living abroad.

If the other parent lives abroad and does not pay maintenance, you can obtain support from the guardianship and the local court and have the maintenance obligation checked and...
Family and children's services

Attractive offers as well as a resilient, dense infrastructure for families with children are a focus of the municipal work.
Family book: Exhibition

The family register was a civil status register that was created ex officio after each marriage in Germany and kept at the registry office. It contained information about the...
Family Recreation - Promotion

If you as a family simply cannot afford your well-deserved holiday financially, the country will help you. Lower Saxony promotes recreational holidays from: Families with at...
First name change for an important reason

You can change your first name under certain conditions.
Formal Recognition of Foreign Divorce Decrees

If your marriage ended in divorce outside Germany, you can have this decision formally recognised in Germany.
Foster children

A foster child is a child who does not live in his family of origin, but in another family, his foster family. Foster children come into a foster family with very different...
Full-time curative care for foster children

Children and young people in full-time curative care have special needs. This requires close and intensive consultation of those involved in the care relationship. The child...
Gain access to the adoption file

As an adopted person, you will be able to inspect the files relating to the placement of your adoption yourself from your 16th birthday. Unless the interests of other data...
general education schools Admission to comprehensive school

The comprehensive school is a type of school of the general education school system. It is run in Lower Saxony as an integrated and as a cooperative comprehensive school.
General full-time care for foster children, accompaniment

Are you a caregiver of a child in full-time care? Then you will receive professional support and advice from the foster children's service.
Guardianship by the foster parents

In appropriate cases, foster parents may be given guardianship of the child you are caring for.
Guardianship Institution

Are/Is parents with custody, a parent with sole custody, or a person in charge of guardianship legally or factually prevents individual tasks for a child represented by...
Guardianship Institution

Guardianship may be established by operation of law or by the district court. Guardianship is not a public "service" in the strict sense. By including guardianship in Book...
Have it checked annually whether my child receives an advance on maintenance

Do you receive an advance on maintenance? In this case, the maintenance advance office checks annually whether all the requirements for entitlement to the maintenance advance...
Help for young adults

The help for young adults includes different benefits. It is both an independent help for 18 to 21-year-olds as well as a continuation aid for over 21-year-olds and the...
Home care

If certain conditions are met for the granting of assistance for subsistence, the social welfare office helps to find an apartment or a place in a nursing home. Special...
Home supervision of homes for adults with disabilities

Do you have any questions regarding the care of adult disabled people in homes for integration assistance?Within the framework of home supervision, the State Office for Social...
Information on how to replace a lost divorce certificate

If your divorce certificate has been lost, you can have a certified copy issued to you by the competent district court – family court.
Inspection of the matrimonial property register

You can consult the matrimonial property register.
Issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for German citizens without domicile or habitual residence in Germany who have never or only temporarily resided in Germany

The certificate of no impediment to marriage is issued if it is required for the marriage abroad.
Issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for stateless persons, persons entitled to asylum, recognised refugees and persons whose nationality cannot be ascertained, with habitual residence in Germany

If you want to marry abroad, there may be a legal norm in the intended marriage state that requires the submission of such a certificate. The issuance of a certificate of no...
Maintaining contacts / right of access

children and adolescents, Parents other persons entitled to access (in some cases, for example, grandparents) and Persons in whose care the child is (e.g. foster parents) ...
Marriage Consummation with divorced or widowed partner

Two persons who want to marry each other will be married to each other by a registrar as part of the civil marriage. The wedding ceremony takes place at a place dedicated...
Marriage Consummation with foreign partner

Two persons who want to marry each other will be married to each other by a registrar as part of the civil marriage. The wedding ceremony takes place at a place dedicated...
Marriage consummation with same-sex partner

Civil partnerships can no longer be established in Germany since 01.10.2017. With the opening of marriage, same-sex couples have been able to marry domestically since the...
Marriage Execution only for German citizens

Two persons who want to marry each other will be married to each other by a registrar as part of the civil marriage. The wedding ceremony takes place at a place dedicated...
Marriage Execution with partner with custody

Two persons who want to marry each other will be married to each other by a registrar as part of the civil marriage. The wedding ceremony takes place at a place dedicated...
Media supervision

The task of the media supervisory authority is to monitor the offers on the Internet with regard to the correct provider identification (web imprint) and the imprint for printed...
Municipal offers for children and young people

Your city or municipality or In addition to kindergarten and school, your district offers children and young people a wide range of opportunities for creative, musical,...
Music school

Music schools are educational institutions whose main tasks are the imparting of a basic musical education, the development of young talent for amateur and amateur music-making,...
One-off benefit when taking in a foster child

When a foster child is admitted, one-off lump-sum allowances can be granted and transferred with the first care allowance.
Parental custody Order in case of endangerment of the child's best interests

The proceedings are initiated ex officio by the competent family court, in particular on the basis of suggestions from the Youth Welfare Office, which in turn takes action, for...
Parental custody order in case of endangerment of the child's property

If you become aware that a child's assets are at risk, in particular by their parents or one of their parents, report this to the family court at the district court.
Parenting, marriage, family and life counselling

Children, adolescents, parents and other legal guardians may contact the competent authority for parenting issues, personal or family-related problems, as well as questions and...
Petition for divorce of a marriage

If you want to end your marriage, you can file for divorce.
Procedure for identifying a need for special educational support

In the case of pupils who are severely impaired in their educational, developmental and learning opportunities, a procedure may be carried out to identify a need for special...
Receive advice, support and assistance in the assertion of maintenance claims

If you are the sole parent, you can seek advice from the Youth Welfare Office and receive assistance in claiming child support.
Receive support in enforcing the permanent placement of a child with the foster carers

The foster children's service can support the foster parents if a child is to live permanently in the foster family because the conditions in the family of origin do not improve...
Registering a marriage

If you want to get married, you must register the marriage in advance.
Registering for admission to a German school abroad

Do you live abroad or are you planning to move abroad and would like to enrol your child at a German school? Find out more about German schools abroad here.
Registration for an evening grammar school

Here you will find information on admission to an evening grammar school as well as on special features of the type of school.
Request information from the custody register

A certificate from the Youth Welfare Office can serve as proof of parental authority
Request participation in social group work

Some children and adolescents have difficulties in their personal development. It is difficult for them to approach other children or young people, to get involved in groups or...
Safety on the way to school

Safety on the way to school is best achieved in cooperation between administration, police, politics, schools and parents. On the basis of collected data (accident type map of...
School enrolment examination

Doctors of the public health service examine the children before starting school for health impairments that are likely to influence their ability to attend school. The primary...
School performance: assessment

In order to prove the level of achievement, pupils provide written, oral and practical achievements at appropriate intervals according to the requirements of the respective...
School psychological counselling

School psychological counselling is offered for learning and behavioural difficulties, crisis situations, in the context of talent promotion, in school programme development or...
School travel costs

Pupil transport is the transport of pupils on their way to school. There is only a right to school transport or reimbursement of costs for certain groups of pupils, in principle...
Schools of general education: admission - Gymnasium

The Gymnasium is a type of general education system. In principle, it covers grades 5 to 13, but can also be run without grades 11 to 13 (upper secondary level – gymnasiale...
Second chance school

The second educational path includes the school types evening grammar school and college. Anyone who is at least nineteen years old, can prove that they have completed...
Shelter (children, adolescents and young adults)

Children, adolescents and young adults who have no parents or do not receive regular care in their parents' home find a home in youth welfare institutions. The reasons for...
Special school

Special education support takes place in Lower Saxony in special schools and in all other general education schools. Special educational needs are assumed for children and young...
Substituting a parent's consent to adoption

For adoption, the consent of both parents and the child is required. In exceptional cases, the family court may replace one parent's consent to the adoption.
Support for juveniles and adolescents through juvenile court assistance

In the case of investigations and/or criminal proceedings against juveniles (14-17 year olds) or adolescents (18-20 year olds) who have come into conflict with the law, the...
Surname Change

If a change of surname outside the regulations of civil law (i.e. not, for example, in the case of marriage or divorce) is desired, this must be applied for as a change of name...
Suspension of compulsory schooling Application

Upon request, compulsory schooling may be suspended: to attend a language course if you do not have sufficient knowledge of German, to raise children after the expiry of the...
Temporary full-time care for foster children, accompaniment

Are you a caregiver of a child in full-time care? Then you will receive professional support and advice from the foster children's service.
Vacation

In Lower Saxony, school holidays comprise a total of 75 working days for a 6-day week and 63 working days for a 5-day week. The summer holidays are determined by the Standing...
Whereabouts of a child with a caregiver

Are you a caregiver and the biological parents want to take the child back in? Then you can apply to the family court for the child to stay with you.
Withdrawal of consent to adoption by children over 14 years of age

If consent has been given to adoption (including stepchild adoption) for or by a child, this consent may be revoked by the child if he or she is 14 years of age or older. A...
Youth Social Work

Young people who are increasingly dependent on support to compensate for social disadvantages or to overcome individual impairments are to be offered socio-educational...
Youth work offers

Youth work is an independent part of youth welfare. It performs the educational tasks according to § 11 of the Eighth Book of the Social Code (SGB VIII) - Child and Youth...

Top 10 Services

Further Links

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