Is there an official approval or licensing procedure for social concepts?

No, there is no formal approval procedure for social concepts. The authority does not approve the social concept itself; it grants the placement permit under § 33c GewO – the social concept is one of its prerequisites. Our social concept has been accepted by, among others, municipalities in such permit proceedings. What counts is the quality of the content: it was developed with the co-authorship of a qualified psychologist and legally reviewed.