Sozialdienst Katholischer Frauen

The Sozialdienst Katholischer Frauen (SkF) is a German women's and professional association within the Catholic Church. It was founded informally in 1899 and officially in 1900 by the Centre Party politician Agnes Neuhaus (1854–1944) and the social reformer Marie Le Hanne (1848–1921) under the name Verein vom Guten Hirten. The founding idea was for women to provide help to women in emergency situations. Over the decades the organization changed its name several times: in 1901 to Katholischer Fürsorgeverein für Mädchen und Frauen, in 1903 to Katholischer Fürsorgeverein für Mädchen, Frauen und Kinder, and finally in 1968 to Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen (SkF). Today the SkF is a Fachverband (professional association) within the Deutscher Caritasverband. It is structured in Germany into diocesan and state-level associations. The local SkF associations are united in a Gesamtverein (umbrella association) that maintains the SkF-Zentrale (head office) in Dortmund. According to Wikipedia, there are 157 local associations and 11 branch offices with 9,000 full and supporting members, 4,400 volunteer workers without membership, and 5,000 professional staff. The local associations run approximately 120 pregnancy counseling centers (since 1999 without the certificate under §7 SchKG and §218a StGB), about 31 mother-and-child facilities, around 40 child and youth welfare institutions, and about 35 women's shelters. They also maintain a total of 37 adoption and foster care services. They operate so-called Babyklappen (baby hatches) where mothers who cannot cope with their infants can anonymously hand them over. Around 100 SkF local associations are Betreuungsvereine (guardianship associations) under the Betreuungsgesetz (BtG). The SkF works in several social areas: counseling and help within child and youth welfare, disability assistance, support for endangered women and families (including participation in the Munich support model against domestic violence), counseling and help for prostitutes, counseling and help for the mentally ill and guardianship under the Betreuungsgesetz, and support for homeless women. The organization is active nationwide in Germany and is a member of the Catholic Caritas network. Its public advocacy includes family policy guidelines, press releases on housing and homelessness, and calls for children's rights to be enshrined in the German constitution. In 2023 the SkF was awarded the Oswald-von-Nell-Breuning-Preis.

The Sozialdienst Katholischer Frauen (SkF) traces its origins to the late 19th century. In 1899 Agnes Neuhaus (1854–1944) informally founded the Verein vom Guten Hirten (Association of the Good Shepherd), and on June 19, 1900, the official association was established. The founding idea was for women to provide help to women in emergency situations. In 1900, associations of the Good Shepherd were also founded in Cologne and Aachen on December 8. In 1901/1902 the association changed its name to Katholischer Fürsorgeverein für Mädchen und Frauen (Catholic Welfare Association for Girls and Women). In 1903 it was renamed again to Katholischer Fürsorgeverein für Mädchen, Frauen und Kinder (Catholic Welfare Association for Girls, Women and Children). At the same time, the chairwomen of the existing associations met for a first association day, constituting themselves as a loose federation with a central office in Dortmund. The first general assembly took place in Dortmund in 1905. The second general assembly in Düsseldorf in 1907 adopted statutes for the local groups and the overall association, thereby constituting the Gesamtverein. In 1917 Agnes Neuhaus founded the Fürsorgerinnenschule in Dortmund, today's Anna-Zillken-Berufskolleg, and the association magazine "Korrespondenzblatt" published its first issue in July. In 1919 Agnes Neuhaus was elected to the National Assembly and later to the Reichstag. She had significant influence on the Reichsjugendwohlfahrtsgesetz (RJWG) adopted in 1922. From 1930 to 1933 Elisabeth Zillken was a member of the German Reichstag. From 1933 to 1945 the work of the association was massively restricted and persecuted by the Nazi authorities, and adoption placement was banned in 1939. Agnes Neuhaus died in 1944. In 1968 the association was renamed Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen (SkF). New statutes for local associations and the Gesamtverein were adopted in 1998, and the Gesamtverein celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1999. Further new statutes were adopted in 2007. In 2023 the SkF was awarded the Oswald-von-Nell-Breuning-Preis. Today the SkF is a Fachverband within the Deutscher Caritasverband, with a central office in Dortmund and a nationwide network of local associations.

• 2023

  Awarded the Oswald-von-Nell-Breuning-Preis.

• 1999

  100th anniversary of the Gesamtverein.

• 1998

  Adoption of new statutes for local associations and the Gesamtverein.

• 1968

  Name change to Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen (SkF).

• 1944

  Death of Agnes Neuhaus.

• 1933

  Massive restriction of work and persecution by Nazi authorities (until 1945); adoption placement banned in 1939.

• 1930

  Elisabeth Zillken becomes a member of the German Reichstag (until 1933).

• 1922

  Reichsjugendwohlfahrtsgesetz (RJWG) adopted with significant influence from Agnes Neuhaus.

• 1919

  Agnes Neuhaus elected to the National Assembly and later to the Reichstag.

• 1917

  Founding of the Fürsorgerinnenschule in Dortmund (today Anna-Zillken-Berufskolleg) by Agnes Neuhaus; first issue of the association magazine "Korrespondenzblatt" in July.

• 1907

  Second general assembly in Düsseldorf; adoption of statutes for local groups and the Gesamtverein.

• 1905

  First general assembly in Dortmund.

• 1903

  Name change to Katholischer Fürsorgeverein für Mädchen, Frauen und Kinder; first association day; constitution as a loose federation with central office in Dortmund.

• 1901

  Name change to Katholischer Fürsorgeverein für Mädchen und Frauen.

• 1900

  Official association founding on June 19 by Agnes Neuhaus; founding of associations of the Good Shepherd in Cologne and Aachen on December 8.

• 1899

  Informal founding of the Verein vom Guten Hirten by Agnes Neuhaus.

A Catholic women's and professional association providing social services, advocacy, and support for women, children, and families in need across Germany.

• Pregnancy counseling centers

  Approximately 120 centers; since 1999 without the certificate under §7 SchKG and §218a StGB.

• Mother-and-child facilities

  Approximately 31 facilities.

• Child and youth welfare institutions

  Approximately 40 institutions.

• Women's shelters

  Approximately 35 shelters.

• Adoption and foster care services

  A total of 37 services.

• Babyklappen (baby hatches)

  Facilities where mothers who cannot cope with their infants can anonymously hand them over.

• Guardianship associations (Betreuungsvereine)

  Around 100 SkF local associations are guardianship associations under the Betreuungsgesetz (BtG).

1. 1Startseiteskf-zentrale.de
2. 2SkF Geschichteskf-zentrale.de
3. 3Sozialdienst Katholischer Frauenwikidata.org
4. 4Sozialdienst katholischer Frauende.wikipedia.org