Preliminary Study on Developing Services for Children, Adolescents, and Families of the St. Stephanus Foundation

The results of the preliminary study formed the basis for the strategic realignment of the St. Stephanus Foundation. They included an overview of the existing services, the identification of social gaps and their potential for strategic positioning, concrete recommendations for future offerings, and implementation proposals for 2025, taking into account the ongoing architectural competition and incorporating professional input.

Following a directional decision by the Foundation Board, the realignment focuses on the priority area “Relief and Support for Families.” According to the recommendations of the preliminary study, future service design can be guided by five principles: noticeable relief for parents and children, tangible support in everyday family life, non-stigmatization of family issues, integration of the “Caring Community,” and accessibility to offer inclusive experiences and a welcoming culture.

The innovative strength of the realignment lies in combining target groups with supportive services that reduce barriers to accessing assistance. The diverse services for children, adolescents, and their parents offered by the foundation can be found on-site and on its website: www.nidelbad.ch.

Abstract

The St. Stephanus Foundation aims to provide new perspectives and living spaces for people in challenging life situations. Through its diverse engagement in social and diaconal projects, the foundation seeks to connect and close gaps within its social environment.

With its strategic realignment at the Rüschlikon site, the foundation will establish a Competence Center for Children, Adolescents, and Families starting in 2025, making a pioneering contribution to social care. In 2024, the project team from the Institute for Childhood, Youth, and Family was commissioned to conduct a preliminary study to support the foundation in developing sound professional foundations, identifying innovation potential, and creating sustainable decision-making tools.

Point of Departure

By the end of 2028, the St. Stephanus Foundation will establish a comprehensive Competence Center for Children, Adolescents, and Families at its Rüschlikon site. This initiative builds on its tradition of providing help and aims to identify and close social gaps in care.

The site will host services for children and their parents, leveraging synergies with ongoing foundation projects and strategic partnerships within the social environment as key resources. For this complex undertaking, which follows principles of innovation and social space orientation, the Institute for Childhood, Youth, and Family was tasked with a preliminary study to clarify needs and service gaps in the catchment area and to create a solid basis for decision-making.

The approach is grounded in conceptual frameworks such as integration into existing services, strategic partnerships, and the established “Caring Community” to ensure accessibility and humanity.

Objectives

The preliminary study aimed to provide a well-founded description of target group reach and recommend strategic initiatives. This included exploring concrete opportunities for short-term service expansion (for 2025) as well as long-term planning for a sustainable and innovative overall concept (by 2028).

The study focused on identifying gaps in the existing care system and determining which concepts could address these gaps while aligning with the foundation’s tradition, vision, and resources. In particular, the study sought to explore innovation potential in the areas of early childhood development, family support services, and intervention measures.

Methodology

The preliminary study was divided into two main work packages, developed between July and October 2024. The methodology combined social space analysis and expert interviews to create a solid basis for implementation and develop tailored solutions:

Work Package 1 – Social Space Analysis: This package included collecting statistical data and mapping social services for children and families in the municipality of Rüschlikon and neighboring communities. The analysis incorporated relevant perspectives from the catchment area and focused on the framework conditions in the Canton of Zurich as well as established structures and participation cultures in the local environment.

Work Package 2 – Expert Interviews and Analysis: This package involved conducting interviews with 18 key stakeholders from the extended social environment to broaden the professional perspective and increase the relevance of the services. In parallel, accessible data on care planning was systematically analyzed to identify success factors.