Parental counseling

Parent advice centers help you with problems and conflicts

Text last updated: 2025-03-24

Parental counseling - in person, by phone or online

Would you like to support your child's development in the best possible way and are looking for helpful tips? Sometimes talking to staff at parent advice centers can offer new perspectives and valuable suggestions. Whether you are wondering how you can best support your teenage child on the path to adulthood or are simply looking for someone to talk to, the parent advice service offers you understanding contacts. All discussion channels and advice services are easily accessible and free of charge for you.

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What are parent counseling centers for?

On the way to adulthood, your child will increasingly strive for independence and personal responsibility.
This phase brings with it many changes - including for family life. The increasing separation can be challenging and put togetherness to the test. Whether it's about graduating from school, fears about the future or starting a career: Sometimes it's good to talk to someone about it. You want to talk to professionals or simply find a sympathetic ear for your thoughts?

The staff at the parent advice centers are experienced advisors who can help you find solutions to your individual concerns. They will give you valuable input and can recommend further points of contact and support services if required.

What issues can I contact an advice center about?

It often helps to simply share your worries and talk to an understanding person. Parents can turn to a parenting advice center with any questions about development and parenting. Every question is important and your concerns will be taken seriously. The topics that counseling can help with are diverse, for example:

  • I feel exhausted.
  • I'm having a fight with my partner.
  • My child is only on their cell phone or computer - school and hobbies are taking a back seat.
  • I wonder how I can support my child in choosing a career or course of study.
  • I am a single parent and feel left alone with my child.
  • My child is skipping school or wants to drop out.
  • and much more.

The experienced experts at the parent advice centers are there to support you. They will help you to find individual solutions for your everyday family life - competently, empathetically and at eye level. Every conversation is confidential. All advisors are bound by professional secrecy.

Where can we find help and advice?

  • Personal parent advice on site

There are many support and advice services for families in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Family Guide of Familienportal.NRW makes it easier to search and find your way around. It helps you to quickly and easily find the right offer near your home.

  • Online counseling

You can reach the online counseling of the bke-Elternberatung via the internet platform of the Bundeskonferenz für Erziehungsberatung e.V.
Here you will receive professional parenting advice and the opportunity to exchange ideas with other parents. The advice is provided by email and chat, is anonymous, free of charge and data secure.

  • Parent advice by phone

The "Nummer gegen Kummer" parent helpline is available on 0800 111 0 550 Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 7 pm. The call is free of charge. Callers do not have to give their name or leave any personal details. Everything that is discussed remains confidential.
The call, advice and information service is provided by specially trained experts who know exactly what challenges families are facing today. You can find detailed information about the parents' hotline online at www.nummergegenkummer.de.

Use the search engine on the portal of the DAJEB Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Jugend- und Eheberatung e. V. (German Association for Youth and Marriage Counseling) to find suitable counseling centers.

Many local authorities in NRW bundle their services and contact addresses relating to family life (advice centers, parent-child courses, leisure activities and much more) on a special Internet portal. You can find the link to this service for your town or municipality here on our Familienportal.NRW: