The Social Service of Catholic Women (SkF) has been a social association of women in the church since it was founded in Dortmund in 1899 by Agnes Neuhaus. From the very beginning, it has been a free initiative of women who actively help to shape the church and the world. It arose from the independent ecclesiastical responsibility of women, who were already exercising their right of association and assembly in the church at the end of the 19th century, and not as a result of a commission or mandate from the bishops. The work began with the religious impulse to put faith into practice by turning to people in need.

The founders recognized that there were special emergency situations for women in which the help of other women was needed. Women wanted to help women. The work of the association was based on the principles of personality, solidarity and subsidiarity. The founding idea thus corresponds to Catholic social doctrine and is as modern today as it was then.

These ideas also fell on fertile ground in Wiesbaden. In 1907, committed Catholic women founded the "Johannesstift Welfare Association" on the day after the feast of St. John the Apostle (27.12.). The "Refuge for Fallen Girls" on Platter Straße, which the association brought with it when it was founded, was given the name "Johannesstift". The first board members of the new association were Mathilde Großmann (chairwoman), Anna Schipper and Julie Gräfin Matuschka-Greiffenklau. Religious sisters - initially from the Order of St. Augustine, later the Hiltrupp Missionary Sisters - were entrusted with the care of the young women and their children accommodated in the Johannesstift. In 1901, the name was changed for the first time to "Katholischer Fürsorgeverein für Mädchen und Frauen" (Catholic Welfare Association for Girls and Women) and in 1903 to "Katholischer Fürsorgeverein für Mädchen, Frauen und Kinder" (Catholic Welfare Association for Girls, Women and Children). Since 1968, the Wiesbaden association, like all SkF local associations, has been called "Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen e.V." (= SkF).

It is affiliated to the German Caritas Association as a professional association for child and youth welfare as well as special help for women and families and help for people in difficult life situations. The umbrella organization of the local associations is the "Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen - Gesamtverein e.V." in Dortmund.

The task of SkF e. V. Wiesbaden is to support women, children, young people and families - regardless of origin or religion - who are dependent on advice and help in their current life situation. To this end, 18 full-time employees work on the basis of professional social work together with around 100 volunteers. The association is run by a voluntary board of directors and a full-time management team. SkF e.V. Wiesbaden actively contributes its wide-ranging expertise to a broad network of municipal and church working groups. It is also the sole shareholder of Jugendhilfezentrum Johannesstift GmbH.

The fields of work of SkF e. V. Wiesbaden are diverse and are always geared to the current needs of the target groups. These include advice, information and the provision of help before, during and after pregnancy. Pregnancy counseling is aimed at women and couples who need advice and support with personal questions, questions and/or problems during pregnancy and birth, dealing with prenatal diagnostic examinations, partnership and family conflicts or who find themselves in an economic and/or social emergency. SkF e.V. Wiesbaden offers open-ended advice, free of charge and independent of religion and nationality, anonymously if desired.

With more than ten services in the area of early help and parent education, SkF e. V. Wiesbaden is aimed at expectant parents and young families with children up to the age of three who are under social, financial or health-related strain. The aim is to improve the development opportunities of children and parents early and sustainably and to strengthen parental relationship and parenting skills.

At the SkF AnziehTreff, women in financial need can receive donated, well-preserved maternity clothes, baby, children's and youth clothing, baby supplies and toys free of charge. In addition, a competent pregnancy consultant is available for advice on all personal and family issues.

Due to the special needs of refugee women, specific services for this target group have been installed since 2015. The services for refugee women before and after the birth are aimed at establishing social contacts and relationships, language acquisition, emotional support, practical everyday support and relief and integration into society.

In addition to these activities, SkF e. V. Wiesbaden also offers other services. These include separation counseling/family mediation, support for women in need, the recruitment and support of volunteers to work in the SkF's fields of work, the opportunity to do community service as part of juvenile court and court assistance, and the support and supervision of students of social work and social pedagogy as part of internships.