The Commissioner for Citizens’ Affairs of the state Schleswig-Holstein, Anke Erdmann, on 29 October 2026 at the state parliament gave the 2024/2025 activity report of the complaints office for children and young people was presented. According to the report, the ombudsman’s office recorded a total of 984 advice and complaint cases, 122 of which came directly from children and young people. The Commissioner for Citizens’ Affairs sees the increase as a sign of growing demand for independent advice and support in disputes involving child and youth welfare services.
Case studies in the report illustrate the range of issues raised. One example is a 17-year-old who had to live in a tent in the garden for an extended period following family conflicts. According to her account, she had only limited access to sanitary facilities and suffered from the cold. Only after the complaints office became involved did she receive temporary financial support and, eventually, a flat of her own. The authority says the case shows that reports to youth welfare offices are not automatically classified as a threat to a child’s welfare, even when those affected are under considerable strain.
Under Section 9a of the Eighth Book of the German Social Code the complaints office for children and young people accepts reports and complaints from children, young people, parents and foster carers, provides information about rights, mediates in disputes and supports discussions with public and independent youth welfare providers. The office has received significantly more enquiries than in previous reporting periods; the report sets specific year-on-year comparisons in the context of growing awareness and increased use of its services.
Erdmann recommends, among other things, a state-wide information portal bringing together the rules and support services offered by districts and independent towns. The report also addresses a gap in the law: children and young people living in residential facilities in Schleswig-Holstein but registered outside the state had not previously been uniformly subject to compulsory schooling . The complaints office welcomes plans to standardise these rules.
The report was submitted to the state parliament’s presidium. A public presentation, together with publication of the documents, has been announced. According to the complaints office, professional and social welfare organisations support the proposed improvements, such as faster response times, more accessible information and reliable ombudsman services in every region. The figures and recommendations provide a timely impetus and a sound basis for further decisions in the political debate on child and youth welfare in Schleswig-Holstein.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).