Kinderschutz in Zeiten von Corona: Ein Vergleich zwischen Hell- und Dunkelfeld vor dem Hintergrund der Möglichkeiten des Kinderschutzhandelns in Jugendämtern
Main Article Content
Abstract
Child Protection during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comparison between official reports and survey data considering the possibilities for child protection activities in local child and youth welfare authorities
The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to control the spread of SARS-CoV2 quickly raised concerns in child protection about a massive increase in the frequency of violence against children in families and in the number of registered child protection cases during or after the pandemic. An increase in risk factors for child endangerment is well documented in Germany. In survey studies, parents reported an increase in violence against their children. The number of reports to child and youth welfare authorities regarding possible child endangerment continued the trend of steady increase from 2020 to 2022. However, there was no steeper increase. The number of emergency placements decreased in 2020 and 2021, which may indicate that thresholds for intervention in parental responsibility were set higher. The COVID-19 pandemic presented the child and youth welfare authorities with major challenges that limited their child protection activities. In the future, child protection should be regularly taken into account in crisis planning.
Keywords: child protection, COVID-19 pandemic, child abuse, neglect
Bibliography: Witte, Susanne/Kindler, Heinz: Kinderschutz in Zeiten von Corona: Ein Vergleich zwischen Hell- und Dunkelfeld vor dem Hintergrund der Möglichkeiten des Kinderschutzhandelns in Jugendämtern, Diskurs Kindheits- und Jugendforschung / Discourse. Journal of Childhood and Adolescence Research, 4-2025, pp. 551-568.
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