Social care aims to provide services for people in need within a community – or in other words, to comprehensively address social issues. Its design is closely linked to various societal functional systems and requires a nuanced consideration of social policy, the management of and between organizations, as well as methodical action. This publication offers an overview of the current discussion on social care in the German-speaking world. It equally takes into account theoretical developments, research findings, and practical applications. Thus, it provides cross-country comparison opportunities and impulses for a sustainable design of care.