Child protection
Children have a right to grow up in a safe and healthy environment. The Youth Welfare Office is tasked with protecting the welfare of children and young people. The employees follow up on all indications that a child may be in danger. They seek contact with the family concerned in order to develop possible solutions together with them. They work closely with other institutions, such as daycare centers, schools, doctors and the police.
On this page you will find information for different target groups.
Information for citizens
You are a citizen or neighbor and have indications of
- neglect
- Mental, physical or sexual abuse or neglect
- Violence between the parents
- neglect of the duty of supervision
or notice something else worrying and don't know how you can help the child? Then please contact the youth welfare office or contact the police directly. In the event of acute danger, please inform the police first!
Information for children and young people
- Are you being harassed, insulted or hit?
- Do you feel dirty because someone has touched you or said disgusting things to you?
- You think your whole world is falling apart and nobody understands you?
- Would you like to talk to someone about your problems at home?
Then it's a good idea to find someone to talk to. Even if someone has forbidden you to talk about it, you can always get help! Maybe there are people in your area that you like and enjoy spending time with. This could be your friend or your teacher, the school social worker or your neighbor. If you know someone like this, try talking to them about your problems. Because: You have a right to get help!
Don't know anyone you trust, or would you rather talk to someone you don't know about your worries? No problem. There are advice centers that you can call. All of them are free and anonymous, which means you don't even have to give your name.
You can call the Nummer gegen Kummer children's and youth helpline anonymously and free of charge from a landline or cell phone from anywhere in Germany. The children's and young people's helpline can be reached on 0800 111 0 333 Monday to Saturday from 2 pm to 8 pm. In addition, the Child Helpline can be reached free of charge in a total of 28 European countries via the EU number 116 111.
Of course, you can also contact your local youth welfare office yourself. This usually depends on where you live. You can find the telephone numbers of the staff at the Hof Youth Welfare Office (ASD) here.
Information for parents and families
The protection of children and young people is a social concern that is enshrined in the German Basic Law (Article 6). According to this, marriage and family are under special protection. The Basic Law assigns parents extensive rights and duties:
"The care and upbringing of children are the natural right of parents and the duty primarily incumbent upon them. The state community shall supervise their activities." (Basic Law Art. 6 para. 2)
The fact that you inform yourself on this website shows that you take these rights and duties seriously. Dangers to the well-being of children and young people can develop for a wide variety of reasons:
- temporary or permanent excessive demands on parents
- Lack of support (e.g. in the case of single parents without family or friendly contacts)
- illness or disability of a parent or child
- Little life experience for very young parents
- Overload in multi-child families or in the case of multiple births
- Age-specific problems (e.g. adolescents in puberty)
- High workload for parents
In addition, there are stressful life situations for families due to
- financial hardship
- social isolation
- lack of prospects (e.g. due to prolonged unemployment)
- illness
- addiction problems
- Family conflicts (e.g. separation and divorce of parents)
These stresses can have serious consequences. A lack of care, developmental restrictions or behavioral problems in children can be external signs of danger. The consequences of physical and psychological violence or emotional neglect are not always visible at first glance, but can have a dramatic impact on children's lives.
There are counseling and support services in the city of Hof and the region for a wide range of situations. Seek help from specialists - at an early stage, before problems get out of hand.
You can call the parents' helpline "Nummer gegen Kummer" on 0800 1110550 from a landline or cell phone from anywhere in Germany anonymously and free of charge during consultation hours. Mondays to Fridays from 9:00 to 17:00 and on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 19:00.
Information for professionals
Protecting the welfare of children is a common task for all professions that have professional contact with children and young people. If there are signs that a child's welfare is at risk, it is important to react calmly. A discussion with the parents and a joint search for suitable help can already provide relief. If the risk cannot be averted by your own means, it may be necessary to inform the youth welfare office.
In order to meet these requirements as a specialist in any profession, we have compiled the following documents on the subject of child protection.
Advice on child protection issues
Professionals working in the field of youth welfare are obliged under Section 8a of Book VIII of the Social Code to call in an experienced specialist to assess the risk to the child's well-being (IseF) if there is a suspicion that the child's well-being is at risk. Since the introduction of the Federal Child Protection Act on January 1, 2012, professional groups and institutions from the areas of schools, healthcare, social services, work and all other professionals who are in contact with children and young people are also entitled to advice from an experienced specialist in the event of suspected child endangerment (Section 8b SGB VIII / Section 4 KKG and BKiSchG).
An Insoweit erfahrene Fachkraft (IseF) has
- a degree in social pedagogy or in the field of pedagogy or psychology
- Several years of professional experience in the field of child and youth welfare and counseling
- Experience and further training in dealing with child protection cases
- Knowledge of the legal framework and procedural steps in the event of child endangerment
- Knowledge of the support system in the region
Tasks and role of the IseF
The IseF supports and accompanies professionals in a process-oriented manner when assessing risk and danger. It conducts interviews with the professional making the referral and collects information on indications that the child's welfare may be at risk. A diagnostic manual can be consulted for more precise clarification. The aim is to assess the degree of risk and, if necessary, to identify suitable support measures to protect the child, adolescent or young person or to safeguard the child's welfare. The IseF provides assistance in deciding whether the youth welfare office can or must be called in.
In addition, upcoming discussions between the legal guardians and the specialist providing the case can be prepared with the support of the IseF.
The IseF only advises the professional or institution providing the case and does not assume any responsibility in the case work!
Access and procedure
- Telephone registration and appointment
- Clarification meeting, risk assessment and resource assessment with the responsible IseF
- Recording of agreements and content of the consultation
- Documentation of the result of the risk assessment
- Planning the next steps/counseling process
If necessary, appointments can be made to check the effectiveness of the support measures introduced; telephone inquiries are also possible.
Conditions
- All results of the risk assessment consultation are documented
- Responsibility for the case lies with the person or institution making the inquiry
- All social data of the case presented is anonymized or pseudonymized
Experienced professionals according to § 8a and § 8b SGB VIII in connection with counseling and possible reports for schools, if no own professionals with appropriate knowledge are named or designated, are in the city and district of Hof:
Treffpunkt Familie - Diakonie Hochfranken, Schellenbergweg 20, 95028 Hof
Phone: 09281 / 160 710 200
- Mr. Buheitel
- Mrs. Engelhardt
Hof Child Protection Association
Lobby for children and young people
The German Child Protection Association campaigns for the rights and protection of all children and is involved in federal and state legislation, planning and decisions in cities and municipalities. The association actively pursues the path to a child- and family-friendly society characterized by openness, tolerance, peaceful coexistence, justice, understanding and solidarity.
You can find out more about the services offered by the Hof Child Protection Associationhere.
Child protection in Bavaria
The website of the Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labor and Social Affairs provides information about child protection in Bavaria. Here you will find useful information on the Bavarian overall concept for child protection as well as interesting links and documents.
