Urgent appeal: Potsdam needs special ambulances for child protection!

Urgent appeal: Potsdam needs special ambulances for child protection!

The situation in child protection in Brandenburg remains critical. Children who suffer from emotional, physical or sexual violence often end up in hospital rescue centers. However, these are not set up for such cases, which is why Petra Degenhardt, medical director of the “Ernst von Bergmann” clinic in Potsdam, is calling for the creation of special child protection outpatient clinics. A concern that was set out in the coalition agreement of the previous state government, but has no place in the current agreement. Brandenburg is still the only federal state in Germany that does not have any specialized child protection facilities. This means that the need for such ambulances is becoming more and more urgent, as maz-online.de reports.

In May of this year, the state parliament decided to examine the financing of these outpatient clinics. Locations are planned in Potsdam, Lauchhammer, Neuruppin and Eberswalde. Potsdam would also assume responsibility for Brandenburg (Havel) as well as the districts of Potsdam-Mittelmark, Teltow-Fläming and Havelland. Financing should come from public funding and flat-rate payments from youth welfare offices. However, it is also necessary to authorize the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV) to negotiate agreements on flat rates per case with the youth welfare offices. So far, outpatient clinics in Berlin receive around 1,000 euros per case, which points to the urgency and financial challenges facing the state parliament.

The challenges in child protection

The increasing number of child protection cases at the Potsdam Clinic also raises questions about the quality of therapy. Degenhardt criticizes the fact that diagnoses in rescue centers often lead to delays that can have fatal consequences for affected children. One goal of these new outpatient clinics will be to bring together all the necessary doctors for immediate treatment and thus speed up assistance processes. Tiemo Reimann, chairman of the Social Affairs Committee, sharply criticized the state government's hesitant attitude.

In difficult situations like these, it is important for parents to act as experts for their children. As potsdam.de emphasizes, protecting children begins in the family itself. It can be challenging to maintain good relationships with children, but these are essential in order to recognize the children's needs at an early stage and respond to them. Parents should be willing to seek help in problematic situations and have confidence in support systems.

Offers of help for affected families

There is a free service number in Frankfurt am Main that offers daily information and advice in the area of ​​child protection. At the number0800 – 20 10 111Parents and citizens can provide information about overwhelmed parents and neglected children. The service times offered are Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and on weekends and public holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Comprehensive and qualified advice on family problems and crises is provided here, which can represent a valuable offer of help for many parents, as kinderschutz-frankfurt.de also informs.

The need to improve child protection structures and create specific offers to meet children's needs should be at the top of the political agenda. Because a policy that aims to provide security and protection for the most vulnerable in our society is a policy that pays off.