Action plan for child and youth-friendly communities

The handbook "Participation at all-day elementary school" was created as part of the Child-friendly Community Action Plan and contributes to the implementation of Article 12 of the  UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (opens in a new tab). It is intended to strengthen the participation of children in all-day elementary school.
It contains theoretical and legal principles, planning aids and checklists developed by authors from Weingarten Protestant University of Applied Sciences and Weingarten University of Education. At the heart of the handbook are 15 practical examples from elementary school in Stuttgart that show how participation at school can succeed. They are intended to encourage imitation and further development of participation practices.

With its broad spectrum from theory to practice, the handbook can be used both for studies and further education, as well as for the implementation of participation by professionals in daily practice. The handbook also provides suggestions on how schools can anchor participation in their concept and school culture.

Contact:  Stefanie Stricker

In a big city like Stuttgart, streets are part of the cityscape - and part of children's (experiential) environment. After all, anyone growing up in a city looks for and finds play areas wherever they are available. To ensure that streets are available for play despite the increase in cars and built-up areas, the city of Stuttgart has launched the "Temporary Play Streets" project together with the  Stuttgarter Jugendhaus Gesellschaft (opens in a new tab).

Whether ball games, rubber skipping or chalk art on asphalt - children can reclaim the street or inner courtyard for a certain period of time. Parents and residents are also invited to take part in the temporary play street. This also provides an opportunity for a conversation between young and old neighbors.

The play streets are supervised by child and youth work facilities in Stuttgart. The pilot project initially started in 2018 at four selected locations in Stuttgart-Weilimdorf, Stuttgart-Nord, Stuttgart-Ost and Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt. In 2024, the state capital of Stuttgart and the Stuttgarter Jugendhaus Gesellschaft invited children and young people to play on the temporary play streets in various districts.

Resident children and young people will be informed about the campaign on site. Below you will find a flyer with information on the Temporary Play Streets.

Contact:  Maria Haller-Kindler

The city of Stuttgart would like to further promote acceptance of breastfeeding mothers and raise public awareness of this important issue with a measure in the Child-Friendly Community Action Plan. In this context, around 100 places where breastfeeding and nappy-changing are welcome have so far been recorded and made visible with a sticker. The breastfeeding and nappy-changing locations can also be found on a  digital map (opens in a new tab).

In 2021 and 2022, the city took part in the annual World Breastfeeding Week with a varied program. This resulted in a video with statements from parents, mothers, midwives, doctors and politicians, which draws attention to the topic beyond the campaign week. The clip was created at the opening of the "Breastfeeding." exhibition, which was on display at Stuttgart City Hall in the fall of 2022. Around 130 visitors attended the opening. The topic of breastfeeding was not only visible in the photos that evening, but also through the numerous parents and children present, as well as in conversations and encounters.

Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Stuttgart and supporting children in exercising their rights is a central task of the  Children's Commissioner. Children's rights are the focus of the annual  World Children's Day (opens in a new tab)on September 20. The city of Stuttgart is also dedicating numerous events and campaigns to the topic of "children's rights" on this occasion. Among other things, there will be a painting campaign: The children's pictures created will be exhibited on the construction fences on Stuttgart's market square.

Since 2020, children can also become detectives with the new  digital children's rights rally (opens in a new tab) and set off in search of children's rights! On an interactive scavenger hunt through Stuttgart's city center, children can discover new things, solve exciting tasks, test their knowledge of children's rights and have lots of fun!

On November 20, 2019,  International Children's Rights Day (opens in a new tab) was celebrated worldwide to mark the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Children's Commissioner of the state capital and the Stuttgart Youth Welfare Office invited children to design a children's rights newspaper, which was presented to former Lord Mayor Fritz Kuhn on this day.

Contact:  Maria Haller-Kindler