Urgent appeal: Potsdam needs special outpatient clinics for child protection!

Urgent appeal: Potsdam needs special outpatient clinics for child protection!

Potsdam, Deutschland - The situation in child protection in Brandenburg remains critical. Again and again children who suffer from emotional, physical or sexualized violence end up in the rescue centers of the hospitals. However, these are not set up for such cases, which is why Petra Degenhardt, medical director of the “Ernst von Bergmann” clinic in Potsdam, demands the creation of special child protection outpatients. A concern that was determined in the coalition agreement of the previous state government, but has not found any place in the current contract. Brandenburg is still the only federal state in Germany that does not have any specialized facilities for child protection. This leads to the fact that the need for such outpatient clinics is becoming increasingly urgent, as well as maz-online.de reported.

The state parliament decided in May this year to check the financing of these outpatient clinics. Locations in Potsdam, Lauchhammer, Neuruppin and Eberswalde are planned. Potsdam would also take responsibility for Brandenburg (Havel) and the districts of Potsdam-Mittelmark, Teltow-Fläming and Havelland. The financing is to be made through public funding and package payments of the youth welfare offices. However, the authorization of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV) is also necessary in order to negotiate agreements on case flat rates with the youth welfare offices. So far, the outpatient clinics per case in Berlin have received around 1000 euros, which indicates the urgency and financial challenges with which the state parliament is faced.

The challenges in child protection

The increasing numbers of child protection cases in the Potsdam clinic also raise questions about the quality of the therapy. Degenhardt criticizes that diagnoses in the 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 all the necessary doctors together for immediate treatment and thus accelerate aid processes. Tiemo Reimann, chairman of the Committee on Social Affairs, has sharply criticized the state government's hesitant attitude.

In such difficult situations, it is important that parents act as experts for their children. As Potsdam.de begins to protect the children in the family itself. It can be challenging to maintain good relationships with the children, but they are essential to recognize the needs of the children at an early stage and respond to them. Parents should be willing to use help in problematic situations and have confidence in the support systems.

help offers for affected families

In Frankfurt am Main there is a free service number that offers information and advice in the field of child protection every day. Under number 0800 - 20 10 111 , parents and citizens can give references to 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 for family problems and crises is provided here, which a valuable offer of help for many parents can also be informed, as Kinderschutz-frankfurt.de.

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