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If children experience violence in their families, the youth welfare office looks for foster families for them. © dpa
The FR answers important questions about endangering the welfare of children. In Hesse there were more cases in 2023 than ever before.
When is the well-being of children at risk?
The term is regulated, among other things, in the Civil Code: A risk to the child’s well-being occurs when children suffer physical, mental or intellectual impairments or are threatened with these due to neglect or mistreatment by those with custody. For example, through violence, poor hygiene, food, clothing or emotional neglect. If youth welfare offices have information that indicates a risk, they must carry out an assessment. They often receive information from their family environment or from institutions such as daycare centers, schools or youth centers that are obliged to make reports.
How many are affected?
Last year, the number of identified child welfare threats increased by ten percent compared to the previous year, to 6,200 cases, according to the State Statistical Office. That was more than ever before. 48 percent of the cases (multiple answers possible) involved neglect, 47 percent involved psychological abuse, 29 percent involved physical abuse, and five percent showed signs of sexual violence. Compared to 2022, the authorities assessed the risk in seven percent more cases: 17,770 times.
What intervention options are available in such cases?
That depends on how serious the problems are. The measures range from educational advice and social-educational family support to temporary or permanent protective measures, so-called taking into care. Family courts decide this. In 2023, they ordered the partial or complete withdrawal of parental custody in 700 cases. When people are taken into care, those affected are taken from the family or a home because of an acute danger and are often initially taken to emergency facilities and later to homes, assisted living groups or foster families.
How often were children and young people taken into care?
Here too, the statistics show a significant increase in 2023 – plus 18 percent – compared to the previous year, to 7,600 cases. This is particularly due to more unaccompanied minors arriving from abroad, which accounted for 63 percent of cases, but also to neglect and violence.
To what extent?
An alarm signal is that 356 children under the age of three were recently taken into care, compared to 176 20 years ago. In addition, in 21 percent of cases in 2023, the parents or one parent being overwhelmed was the reason for the protective measure. This was followed by signs of psychological abuse (nine percent) and physical abuse (eight percent). And in 1,000 cases, children or young people were taken into care again and again. In 2023, a total of 1.1 million children and young people under the age of 18 lived in Hesse.
What state aid offers have been ordered?
Help for victims
At the Frankfurt University Hospital The first “Childhood House” in Hesse was opened almost a year ago, an outpatient contact point for young victims and witnesses of sexualized and other violence. According to the Family Ministry, around 400 children were cared for there in the first six months of this year. The World Childhood Foundation, founded in 1999 by Queen Silvia of Sweden, is behind the concept.
In the house Disciplines such as medicine, psychology, social education, police, justice and youth welfare offices work together under one roof. This is intended to save the affected children from having to be examined and questioned multiple times by various institutions. The facility should offer permanent contact persons and a familiar environment and thus promote the healing process. In addition, evidence could be secured there in court.
The Childhood House is also the contact point for daycare centers, schools, advice centers, experts and associations and wants to build a network with them. The Family Ministry wants to promote the construction of a second such house in northern Hesse. gha
According to the State Statistical Office, child and youth welfare providers provided more than 65,300 educational assistance services in 2023 – seven percent more than in the previous year. Educational advice made up the majority of help at 43 percent, followed by social-educational family assistance at twelve percent. According to the information, young people with a migrant background received 41 percent of the aid. Children and young people from families who needed transfer payments received 30 percent of the support offers. In 54 percent of cases, the children lived with single parents.
What are the reasons why children are increasingly experiencing violence?
Experts like the psychologist Heinz Kindler see more overwhelmed parents, for example due to stressful living conditions such as debts or separations as well as more mental illnesses, but also a greater sensitivity to the issue of endangering children’s welfare.
What is the situation in the youth welfare offices and facilities?
There is a shortage of staff in both areas. The Education and Science Union (GEW) speaks of desolate conditions. On the one hand, the numerous unfilled positions throughout Hesse mean that authorities sometimes only process cases of endangerment late. On the other hand, homes and other facilities have to reduce their number of places due to a lack of staff and turn away those at risk or cannot provide them with adequate care.
What does the state government want to do?
Family Minister Diana Stolz (CDU) recently announced in her government statement that, among other things, she would expand prevention, appoint a state representative for child protection and set up a state council for those affected. In addition, another “childhood house” for young victims of violence is to be built in northern Hesse.
What are social workers and unions demanding?
They are primarily calling on the federal, state and local governments to provide significantly more money for staff, services and places in child and youth welfare, including in care centers.
Compiled by Gregor Haschnik
