In Germany, up to three children die every week due to domestic violence. This circumstance has been further exacerbated by the Corona pandemic. The Viessmann Foundation is supporting a nationwide study by the PETRA research group on the welfare of foster children with a total of 50,000 euros.
Their goal: to significantly reduce the time it takes for a child who has been proven to be affected by domestic violence or abuse to be removed from his or her family. This is because the official procedural steps have so far sometimes taken a long time.
Valuable time lost
"Too much valuable time is lost - while the process is ongoing, traumatized children are in custody for months, in some cases even years, which can cause further damage," says Dr. Stefan Rücker, head of the PETRA research group.
"Our study examines how we can improve the interface between youth welfare offices and family courts. With the results, we want to make the 50,000 to 60,000 annual removals of children from their families faster and less complicated for everyone involved in the future.”
“The speedy resolution of a crisis creates opportunities for children to participate and opens up developmental opportunities. This benefits children, and society as a whole."
Well-being of children
Even though removal from a family is always a last resort, statistics show how necessary it unfortunately is
Even though removal from a family is always a last resort, statistics show how necessary it unfortunately is: About two-thirds of children separated from their families due to abuse are never able to return to their families.
"We care a lot about the well-being of these children - they are our future," says Dr. Markus Pfuhl, Managing Director of the Viessmann Foundation.
"Taking responsibility for future generations, especially in times of crisis, is a matter of course for us. By financially supporting the study, we are not only helping to protect children, but also following our corporate purpose of shaping living spaces for future generations."
