Wiesbaden – September 12, 2026 -- Germany's youth welfare authorities granted 174,000 integration assistance measures for children and young adults with mental disabilities in 2024, more than double the 80,800 recorded in 2014, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
Spending on integration aid triples to €3.5 billion in a decade
Federal, state and municipal expenditure on these measures for minors reached €3.5 billion in 2024, up from €1.1 billion in 2014. Their share of total child and youth welfare spending on individual and group assistance rose from 8% to 12% over the same period. Overall child and youth welfare spending climbed 108% to €78.8 billion between 2014 and 2024.
Psychological strain and school problems drive most new cases
Of the assistance measures newly initiated in 2024, 69% cited mental health issues or developmental irregularities such as anxiety, suicidal tendencies or developmental delays. School or occupational problems, including ADHD and hyperactivity, accounted for 53% of cases, while social behavior issues such as isolation, drug use or aggression were cited in 36%. Multiple reasons could apply per case. The average duration of a measure was 23 months.
Boys represent seven in ten affected minors
Children aged 6 to 11 accounted for 45% of the 2024 measures, followed by 12- to 17-year-olds at 42%. Young adults aged 18 and older made up 11%, and children under six accounted for 2%. Boys represented 70% of all recipients.
School enrollment with emotional-social support needs jumps 44%
The reform of Germany's child and youth welfare law, which touches on school companion services for children with mental disabilities, coincides with a parallel rise in special education needs. The number of students at general education schools with a designated "emotional and social development" support focus grew 44% over ten years to 111,700 in the 2024/2025 school year. Of these, 64,400 students, or 58%, were taught inclusively in regular schools rather than special schools.
Total special-needs student population rises 28% to 610,800
Across all support categories -- including learning, vision, hearing and speech -- the number of students receiving special educational support increased 28% over the decade to 610,800 in 2024/2025. The number of students integrated into regular schools rose 77% to 270,500, while those attending dedicated special schools increased only 5% to 340,300.