The SOS mothers

The SOS mothers | Educational staff | Village administration

Photo: T. Brandi The SOS mother is the key person in the SOS Children's Village. She builds a close relationship with each child entrusted to her and provides the security, loving care and stability that they need. As a child-care professional, she guides the development of the children and runs her household independently. "There is a ghost under my bed every night, can't you put it away?" "Mummy, my bicycle is broken, could you mend it?" "Tomorrow we have a school trip, can I bring chocolate for my friends?" An SOS mother is "bombarded" with many questions, wishes and requests for help of this kind day by day. The SOS mother is at the disposal of her children. Her children are the way children are: loving, demanding, impulsive, needing love and protection, and sometimes distrustful or rejecting. The SOS mother is the anchor of every SOS family. Together with the SOS village director she plans the admission of children. She creates an atmosphere which enables the children and youths to build up a long-term and reliable relationship. A relationship in which the children know that they can always come to their SOS mother, no matter what problems they have, what thoughts there are on their mind. This enables them to cope with everyday life in a positive way, while the children and youths are able to reappraise their own history. Of course also through therapy, if need be. The SOS mother also takes part in organizing the contact with the biological parents of the children, i.e. if they are no orphans. She orients herself towards the needs of the children entrusted to her and establishes or maintains the contact with the parents. Apart from providing her children with values and orientation for life, an SOS mother encourages the children and youths to form friendships outside the SOS Children's Village as well. When the children grow older the SOS mother helps them with their career planning and prepares the process of detachment from the SOS family. Even when the youths do no longer live in the SOS family but in the youth community, or when they already have an apartment of their own, it goes without saying that the SOS mother remains an important person to turn to in their life. The SOS mother is free to decide whether she needs a family help who helps her, for instance, with her household. At regular round-table conversations the SOS mothers are able to talk about their experiences. The annual further training, which follows the basic training, also enables the SOS mother to develop further on both the personal and professional level. Photo: K. González SOS family assistant The SOS family assistant supports the SOS mother in coping with her daily tasks. She helps her care for the children and youths and with the household. Furthermore, it is her task to deputize for the SOS mother in the SOS family when the SOS mother has her days off, when she is ill, participates in a seminar or has an important appointment. Subject-based on-the-job training and permanent reflection talks support the family help in her everyday work.