Moving towards becoming Germany's most family-oriented city
In the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia, the city of Hamm has taken significant strides towards becoming "Germany's most family-friendly city." The city recently presented its second family report, highlighting progress, challenges, and prospects in this endeavour.
One of the key initiatives is the Digital Family Town Hall, accessible at www.familienrathaus.de. This digital platform offers central services related to birth, parenthood, and early childhood. The physical Family Town Hall, located at Caldenhofer Weg, was established at the end of 2023.
The city's commitment to family-friendliness is also reflected in the creation of the Youth Career Agency (JuBA) at Bismarckstraße 2. This agency provides support for young people transitioning from school to work.
Hamm has made significant improvements in childcare facilities. Since the 2024/25 school year, care places in open extended day schools or after-school care are available for three out of four primary school children in Hamm. The availability of care places is being gradually increased to facilitate the compatibility of family and work.
The city has also taken steps to make childcare more affordable. Hamm is among the most affordable communes in NRW in terms of contributions for child care, providing financial relief for families. The parental contributions for child daycare and school-based care offers have been halved.
The Communal Support System at Schools (KUS) strengthens schools through reliable and sustainable structures, supporting both childcare and educational work. Currently, 13 schools are involved, with expansion ongoing.
However, not all segments of the population are equally satisfied with the city's offers. Older adults and those with higher incomes rate the offers exceptionally well, while single parents and socially disadvantaged households often show significantly lower satisfaction levels.
The 2025 Family Report in Hamm includes a representative family survey with 1,139 participants. Awareness of the Family Town Hall is high, with 40% of respondents already knowing the offering and 70% of parents with children under three years old aware.
For more information on these services, residents can contact the Division for Family-Friendly City, located at Theodor-Heuss-Platz 12. The Task Force Family-Friendly City can also be contacted at Mr. Gebhardt's office, located at Theodor-Heuss-Platz 1259065 Hamm.
The city's efforts towards family-friendliness are not limited to these initiatives. Family-friendliness is now prevalent across many policy areas in Hamm, encompassing various family forms. Hamm's living environment, walking mobility, and leisure activities score particularly well in family satisfaction surveys.
As Hamm continues to strive towards its goal, it is clear that the city is committed to providing a supportive environment for families. The search results do not contain specific information on the contributors who implemented the "Family Town Hall," "JuBA," and "KUS" projects in Hamm's local politics, nor on planned expansions of these projects. However, with the city's ongoing commitment and the positive feedback from families, it seems that Hamm is well on its way to becoming Germany's most family-friendly city.
