In Neonatology the importance of the parents is emphasized for the development of the child. That encloses a general rethinking concerning the birth up to the aftercare of the patients in the first years. The contributions of the article outline changes in the delivery room, on the neonatal intensive care unit up to the ambulant aftercare of the families; current challenges of a psychological and social-medi- cal care are named. Besides, it becomes clear that a treatment in which family orientation and education of families are main aspects is an interdisciplinary challenge. Therefore, a more intensive inclusion of the parents and the support of the parent-child attachment process assume that, for example, communication must be set up between medical and psychosocial professions, and traditional job profiles - in particular of the medical staff - can be affected by a change. The comprehensive care of the families requires a good management of sectoral transitions as well as efficient networks including inpatient and ambulant structures as well as other systems assisting the whole family. Within all decision-making processes the own responsibility of the parents must attract always all attention.