Child Protection and Welfare in Germany

Abstract

This chapter outlines Germany’s child protection and welfare systems. Data on the prevalence of different types of Germanic child maltreatment are not well integrated into the international literature. Child and youth welfare offices are key institutions in enforcing child protection which is a communal task. Moreover, the health system plays a key role in some child protection cases, especially if child maltreatment is found by health professionals. Security, criminal prosecution, and victim support are the three primary responsibilities of police handling child endangerment. On the other hand, school laws require schools to cooperate with child and youth welfare offices to enact child protection measures.