Emergencies and child welfare

The law states that in cases of child endangerment, the physical, mental, or emotional well-being of the child is at risk.

However, it is important that legal guardians, i.e., the parents, must avert the danger.

If they are unable or unwilling to avert the danger, the youth office must act as the authority.

Whether there is already a danger can only be clarified based on the so-called significant indications.

The following points of reference are only examples and do not exclude other possible indications.

Significant indications of physical endangerment:

• The non-accidental physical injury of a child, e.g., by parents / guardians or other caregivers and persons of reference

• Witnessing violence between adults

• Visible marks on the child/adolescent, e.g., bruises, scars, etc.

• Shaking of an infant/toddler

• Health endangerment, e.g., due to a lack of objectively necessary medical care

• (...)

Significant indications of emotional and mental endangerment:

• Comments directed at the child suggesting they are worthless, flawed, unloved, unwanted, in grave danger, or solely there to meet the needs of others.

• Persistently harsh speech towards the child, frequent verbal chastisement (threatening, humiliating, shaking, hitting)

• Children as victims and witnesses of domestic and partnership violence.

• Chronic stressors such as addiction, e.g., alcohol, drugs, (...)

• Mental illness: intellectual and/or physical disabilities that impair parenting and/or caregiving abilities

• Overburdened or unsuitable caregivers: The inability to recognize a child's needs

• The experience and witnessing of sexualized violence

If you contact the emergency number, you can decide whether to give your name or remain anonymous.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you do not have to provide your name or transmit your phone number. You also do not need to specify how you know the family. Your information can thus be received confidentially and, if desired, completely anonymously.

You will then describe your concerns to a professional from the youth welfare office. They will record your information and document it in a report form. If necessary, the professional may ask you some questions to better assess the situation of the affected child as the process progresses.

After the phone call, the professional checks whether the family is already known to the youth office and whether there is already information about the family.

Due to data protection reasons, the reporting person is not informed whether the family is already known to the youth office.

If the family is not yet known to the youth office, the necessary data about the family is collected according to § 62 SGB VIII and documented in the report form.

Regardless of whether the family is already known or not, several professionals from the youth office meet after the report form is created. Together, they discuss and evaluate the reported information.

They check whether there are significant indications of potential child endangerment. Based on this assessment, it is then decided how to establish contact with the family and, especially, with the child or children.

Depending on the situation and professional assessment, it may subsequently lead to

• an announced or unannounced home visit,

• an appointment at the family's household,

• an appointment at the youth office

• or another suitable form of contact

being arranged.

Depending on the contact method, you will receive feedback by phone, mail, or email. Due to data protection reasons, we cannot provide you with information about the further proceedings.