The Family and Child Welfare Center of the City of Debrecen has opened a new branch at 29 Mátyás király Street, offering family support and child welfare services in a modern and easily accessible environment.
Following renovations, the center now provides broader assistance to families and children in need, including specialized counseling and on-site support. The new location was officially presented by Deputy Mayor Diána Széles, local government representative Edina Szilágyi, and Director Ibolya Aurélia Orosz.
The opening of the Mátyás király Street branch marks a significant milestone in supporting families living in Debrecen. The former local library building has been transformed into a modern, family-friendly space where professionals can carry out their work more effectively. This new facility primarily serves residents from Csapókert, Júliatelep, Dombostanya, Szikigyakor, Tornyostanya, Nagycsere, Haláp, and Bellegelő-kert—who previously had to travel to the more distant office on Víztorony Street.
Deputy Mayor Diána Széles emphasized that Debrecen continues to put families at the heart of its “Caring City” program.
“We want everyone to live well and happily, but sadly, we still see difficult life situations where we, through family support organizations, need to step in and practically mentor families. That’s why it’s important to bring care and services as close as possible to families. This renovated location now allows us to provide a higher level of service that better serves Debrecen’s families.”
She also noted that the Family and Child Welfare Center currently serves 41,000 children, with 2,800 families under direct care. She thanked staff for their dedicated work, especially highlighting the summer childcare services once again organized by the center this year.
Local representative Edina Szilágyi recalled the background of the development and highlighted the importance of community collaboration in realizing the investment:
“When I became a representative in 2019, our first big project was renovating the Csapókert Community House. That’s when we realized it wasn’t suitable for family support functions. We spent a lot of time looking for a place we could renovate and create a community space truly worthy of us.”
She emphasized that the newly renovated building is well located, and she hopes the people living and working there will feel the love and care invested in creating the center.
Director Ibolya Aurélia Orosz added that opening the new branch was driven not only by institutional goals but also by the needs of the Csapókert community.
Already, 100 families have visited the new site, and she expects that number to triple thanks to the improved accessibility for local residents. She noted that disability counseling services can now also be offered at the new location, and assessing local needs remains a top priority for staff. There is also openness to bringing in a developmental teacher, and both psychological and legal counseling services are available.
The opening of the Mátyás király Street branch is not merely a renovation of a building, but a step forward in the quality of social care. From June 1, the center will be open to the public eight hours a day.
