Violence against children and young people

Children and young people who are victims of maltreatment, neglect or abuse urgently need protection and help. People from the social environment, such as educators, teachers, neighbors or friends, often notice quite early on that a child's behavior has changed, that they are withdrawing or - on the contrary - displaying unusually aggressive, "out of character" behavior.

The youth welfare offices are competent contacts when it comes to clarifying a suspicion of child endangerment and should therefore be contacted at an early stage if there are any indications of this. People who are in professional contact with children and young people are entitled to advice from a specialist with experience in this field when assessing a risk to the child's welfare.

Doctors and other medical professionals can call 0800/1921000 free of charge around the clock if there is a suspicion of abuse or neglect.