The Child and Youth Welfare Association (AGJ) organises a DJHT every three or four years, with the first such event taking place in 1964. Attendance is free of charge. The DJHT is the biggest meet-up of its kind in the child and youth welfare community and related fields of activity across Europe. This three-day event is attended by around 30,000 experts and other interested individuals from all over Germany and Europe to exchange opinions, experiences and strengthen networks. The agenda features a wide range of events by researchers and practitioners representing many different perspectives, making the DJHT an ideal place for experts to learn and develop. Moreover, the DJHT provides an in-depth insight into current theoretical and practical debates in the child and youth welfare community and related fields of activity (such as health, school, law, employment, etc.). The audience is just as diverse attracting social workers, scouts, day-care teachers, outreach workers, youth welfare office directors, high-ranking Ministry representatives, policymakers and researchers. The DJHT is a fixture in the calendar for all experts, whether volunteers or full-time employees, who work with and for young people and their families. However, the DJHT is not just aimed at experts, attendance is encouraged for all interested individuals.

The DJHT’s conference and exposition, each with their own multi-faceted, diverse, informative and creative agendas, function as a communication platform, ideas exchange and future workshop all in one and are centred firmly around the lives of children and young people. The German Child and Youth Welfare Congress makes a valuable contribution towards assisting children and young people in growing up successfully. While also helping the Child and Youth Welfare Community to develop and evolve.

A large number of organisations and institutions working in child and youth welfare, as well as other related fields of activity, don’t just attend the DJHT, they also play an active role in shaping its agenda. They can participate in the exposition as commercial or non-commercial exhibitors, giving the many visitors and experts an in-depth insight into their valuable work. Around 200 exhibitors appreciate the exposition as a space for personal interaction that is ideal for networking, getting to know potential new staff, engaging in a dialogue among professionals, learning from each other’s experiences and producing new ideas.  Unfortunately, the digital exposition will only be available in German. To make it accessible for English-speakers as well, we will provide a detailed manual on how to visit and get in contact with the exhibitors.

The agenda of the conference comprises around 200 events on a broad variety of themes, allowing professionals to acquire essential knowledge and benefit from valuable input. Participants can attend informative presentations, inspiring workshops, learn about compelling case studies and innovative concepts. They can also hear about new insights, methods, approaches and debates at play in the research community and among practitioners. Our participants are warmly invited to join in on the debate and share their experience and expertise.

In recent years, the DJHT has been extended to include a European dimension to appeal to a broader and more international expert audience and encourage a more international debate on current issues and trends in the child and youth welfare field. The European programme is fully integrated into the DJHT conference and exposition. It incorporates a wealth of European and international activities.