Social Neighborhood for Assisted Living

What Social Neighborhood for Assisted Living does

SONA – Soziale Nachbarschaft für betreutes Wohnen gGmbH is a Berlin-based non-profit (gemeinnützige GmbH) operating as a freier Träger (free provider) of youth and family welfare services under the German Social Code SGB VIII. The organization runs an integrated portfolio of approximately 220 care places spanning Mother/Father-Child residential groups (including an intensive variant), youth residential groups for adolescents aged 14-18, family-analogous Erziehungswohngruppen, supervised independent living (Betreutes Einzelwohnen), ambulatory family and youth support services, child-protection counseling under § 8a SGB VIII, and two Kindertagesstätten (Kitas) with 58 combined daycare places. Specialized offerings include video-based developmental psychological counseling (EPB), supervised contact (Begleiteter Umgang), a separated-mothers project, a Wohnführerschein (independent-living license) program, and rental of seminar rooms.

The business model is overwhelmingly publicly funded: revenue is dominated by öffentliche Mittel (public funds) from the Berlin Senate and the city's Jugendämter, which act simultaneously as referrer and cost bearer under the Berliner Rahmenvertrag für Hilfen in Einrichtungen und durch Dienste der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe (BRVJug). Per-place rates are set by framework contract rather than by SONA. Donations provide supplementary funding exclusively for the benefit of care recipients (equipment, outings, toys), not operations. Technology is limited to standard administrative documentation systems; the organization holds ISO 9001:2000-aligned quality management certification and is a member of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband. SONA is managed by Geschäftsführer Rüdiger Hagen Penk, with department heads overseeing Mother/Father-Child, Family-Analogous Projects, Ambulant Assistance, Kitas, and § 8a Counseling functions across 11+ Berlin districts.

Name

Social Neighborhood for Assisted Living

Legal name

SONA – Soziale Nachbarschaft für betreutes Wohnen gGmbH

Website

https://sona-ggmbh.berlin

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SONA gGmbH is a Berlin-based non-profit freier Träger operating approximately 220 publicly funded youth and family welfare places under SGB VIII, including mother/child residential groups, youth housing, ambulatory support, and two Kindertagesstätten across 11+ districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Welfare Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Residential Care Facilities (6239), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF)

Keywords

• Youth welfare services
• Residential child care
• Mother child housing
• Social pedagogical support
• Child daycare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Youth Welfare Funding (Öffentliche Mittel): SONA's primary revenue comes from public funds (Öffentliche Mittel) from the Berlin Senate and youth offices (Jugendamt). These funds cover the operating costs of all projects and facilities. Public funding is the dominant and essentially sole revenue source.
2. Donations: Additional revenue from donations (Spenden) used exclusively for the benefit of those in care — additional programs, equipment, computers for departing youth, furniture, toys, and children's books. Donations are not used for operational costs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SONA provides residential and outpatient youth welfare services under German Social Code SGB VIII, including mother/father-child housing groups, youth housing groups, family-analogous educational housing groups, supervised independent living, ambulatory family support, and specialized counseling (developmental psychological counseling, § 8a SGB VIII child protection counseling, supervised visitation). It also operates two Kindertagesstätten (Tegner-Strolche and Dietzgen-Strolche) and a Children-Parents Center (KiEZ) with counseling and seminar offerings, totaling approximately 220 care places across Berlin.

Product overview

SONA gGmbH operates as a nonprofit social welfare organization (freier Träger) providing a comprehensive portfolio of youth welfare services under SGB VIII with approximately 220 places across Berlin. The organization offers three interconnected service tiers: (1) Residential Care including Mother/Father-Child Housing Groups (with intensive variants), Youth Housing Groups, and Educational/Family-Analogous Housing Groups; (2) Outpatient Services comprising Supervised Independent Living (Betreutes Einzelwohnen), Sociopedagogical Family Assistance, and Outpatient Assistance; and (3) Specialized Support Services including Developmental Psychological Counseling (EPB), Child Protection Counseling (§ 8a SGB VIII), Supervised Contact (Begleiteter Umgang), and the Separated Mothers Project. Additionally, the organization operates two Kindertagesstätten (Kitas) with 58 combined places and maintains a Seminar Rooms rental program and KiEZ (Children-Parents Center) offering counseling services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kita Tegner-Strolche: Kindergarten offering care for 25 children from one year old to school entry age, located in Prenzlauer Berg, opened May 2013.
• Kita Dietzgen-Strolche
• KiEZ - Kinder-Eltern-Zentrum

Products and services

• Mutter/Vater-Kind-Wohngruppen (Mother/Father-Child Housing Groups) Stationary residential care facilities providing 24-hour support for pregnant women, mothers, or fathers with children under six years of age in group living arrangements, with educational and social-pedagogical services under § 19 SGB VIII. Operating across Prenzlauer Berg, Mitte, and Moabit locations.
• Intensiv-Wohngruppe Mutter-Kind (Intensive Mother-Child Housing Group) Specialized intensive residential care for three underage expectant or current mothers with their children in a family-style villa in Berlin-Wilhelmsruh, with 24-hour on-site pedagogical support under § 19 SGB VIII.
• Jugendwohngruppen (Youth Housing Groups) Residential care facilities for adolescents aged 14-18 offering supervised group living with overnight and daytime support, preparing youth for independent living under § 34 SGB VIII. Locations in Prenzlauer Berg and Hohenschönhausen.
• Erziehungswohngruppen (Educational Housing Groups) Family-style residential care for children and adolescents under § 34 SGB VIII, designed for up to four children per group with continuous professional caregivers living on-site to provide stable relationship continuity. Operated in Köpenick, Mahlsdorf-Süd, Mahlsdorf-Nord, and Kaulsdorf.
• Betreutes Einzelwohnen (Supervised Independent Living) Assisted independent living program providing housing in organization-rented furnished apartments with flexible support modules for youth and mothers/fathers with children transitioning to self-sufficient living under §§ 30, 34, and 35 SGB VIII.
• Ambulante Hilfen (Outpatient Assistance) Outpatient support services under §§ 30, 31, and 35 SGB VIII providing counseling, practical life assistance, and social integration support for young people and families citywide in Berlin.
• Sozialpädagogische Familienhilfe (Sociopedagogical Family Assistance) Family support service under § 31 SGB VIII offering long-term pedagogical and practical assistance to families with personal, familial, or material problems, focused on child welfare protection and strengthening family self-help competencies.
• Kindertagesstätten (Kita Tegner-Strolche & Kita Dietzgen-Strolche) Two daycare facilities offering childcare for children from one year to school entry, with movement-oriented education and developmental support. Kita Tegner-Strolche (25 places) opened May 2013; Kita Dietzgen-Strolche (33 places) opened 2014.
• Entwicklungspsychologische Beratung (Developmental Psychological Counseling – EPB) Video-supported counseling service for parents with infants and toddlers, using recorded parent-child interactions to help parents better understand and respond to their children's signals and promote secure emotional attachment.
• Beratung nach § 8a SGB VIII (Child Protection Counseling) Professional counseling service for assessing child welfare risks and implementing protection measures under § 8a SGB VIII, providing guidance to families when child safety is at risk.
• Begleiteter Umgang (Supervised Contact) Supervised visitation and contact arrangement service under § 18(3) SGB VIII, facilitating parent-child contact when unsupervised visits are not possible or have been interrupted.
• Trennungsmütterprojekt (Separated Mothers Project) Specialized support program for mothers temporarily separated from their children, offering counseling for decision-making processes and assistance with eventual reunification.
• Wohnführerschein (Living License) Independence training program for adolescents preparing them for living in their own apartment, teaching practical life skills and household management.
• Seminarräume (Seminar Rooms) Rental of conference and seminar facilities including one large event space and three additional seminar rooms, equipped with presentation tools for external events and professional gatherings.
• KiEZ – Kinder-Eltern-Zentrum (Children-Parents Center) Family support center offering counseling, courses, and therapeutic services for families in crisis situations, complementing SONA's residential and outpatient programs. Located at Torstraße 43, 10119 Berlin.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Berliner Jugendämter (Berlin Youth Offices)coreOthersPrimary institutional partners and cost bearers for all SONA services. The Regionaler Sozialpädagogischer Dienst (RSD) of Berlin's youth offices refers clients to SONA facilities and funds placements under SGB VIII. All client admissions require youth office involvement.
• Paritätischer WohlfahrtsverbandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSONA is a member of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband (Parity Welfare Association), one of Germany's largest welfare associations. This membership provides institutional affiliation, sector representation, and policy advocacy.
• Fachverband für Betreutes EinzelwohnenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSONA is a member of the specialist association for supervised independent living, providing sector-specific professional exchange and best practice sharing.
• Social-Pedagogical Services Network (RSD, KJPD, SPD, SPZ, and others)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtensive network of interdisciplinary partners including: Social-Pedagogical Service of Youth Office (RSD), Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service (KJPD), Social-Psychiatric Services (SPD), Social-Pediatric Centers (SPZ), Youth Court Assistance, School Psychological Services, Integration Assistance, Guardianship Services, Youth Career Assistance, Erziehungs- und Familienberatungsstellen (EFB), schools, healthcare providers, and more. These partners are essential for comprehensive care coordination.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SOS-Kinderdorf Berlin-Brandenburg: Non-profit operator of residential youth welfare and family support services in Berlin/Brandenburg under SGB VIII. Directly comparable as a freier Träger running Wohngruppen, mother-child programs, and ambulante Hilfen on a contract-funded model.
• KJHV Berlin (Kinder- und Jugendhilfe-Verbund): Berlin freier Träger of stationäre Jugendhilfe, Mutter/Vater-Kind Wohngruppen, and ambulante Hilfen under SGB VIII. Closely matches SONA's program mix and public-funding model.
• Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands – Berlin: Operates Kindertagesstätten, residential Jugendhilfe, and family support across Berlin as a recognized freier Träger. Directly comparable in service portfolio and Berlin scope.
• Pestalozzi-Fröbel-Haus: Berlin-based freier Träger of youth welfare (SGB VIII) operating Kindertagesstätten, residential groups, and family support programs. Directly comparable to SONA in client segments, regulatory framework, and Berlin-only operating geography.
• EJF (Evangelisches Jugend- und Fürsorgewerk): Berlin-based freier Träger providing residential youth welfare, mother-child programs, Kitas, and outpatient family assistance under SGB VIII. Comparable operating model and target population.

Broad incumbents

• Diakonie Berlin: Large national welfare association with significant Berlin operations in Jugendhilfe, Kitas, and family support. Comparable regulatory role as freier Träger under SGB VIII, but operates far more broadly than SONA's niche.
• Caritas Berlin: Major welfare incumbent in Berlin delivering residential and ambulante Jugendhilfe, Kitas, and family counseling. Comparable in funding model and regulatory framework, though vastly larger and more diversified.
• AWO Berlin-Brandenburg: Large welfare provider operating Wohngruppen, Mutter/Vater-Kind facilities, and Kitas across Berlin/Brandenburg. Comparable as a freier Träger but significantly larger and more geographically diversified than SONA.

Emerging players

• Kinderschutzbund Berlin: Specialized provider of child protection counseling, family support, and §8a SGB VIII services in Berlin. Comparable on the child protection counseling and family support side, though smaller and focused on advisory rather than residential care.

Regional players

• GEBEWO – Soziale Dienste Berlin: Berlin-based freier Träger focused on housing and supported living for vulnerable populations, including some youth/family programs. Thematically adjacent but less direct overlap on the intensive Jugendhilfe residential side.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Social Neighborhood for Assisted Living