The number of child welfare cases has risen to a new record high for the fourth consecutive year: In 2025, youth welfare offices in Germany identified approximately 79,800 children or young people as being at risk of neglect, psychological, physical, or sexual abuse. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), this represents an increase of 10%, or around 7,000 cases, compared to 2024.
This means that the number of cases has more than doubled since the count began in 2012 – at that time it was only around 38,300 cases (+108% or +41,500 cases).
- Case numbers continue to rise: fourth consecutive record high with around 79,800 cases
- Roughly one in four of the affected children was no more than four years old
- Suspected cases also reached a new high of 268,300
Since 2012, cases of child endangerment have increased continuously, with the exception of 2017 (-0.1%) and 2021 (-1.0%). Reasons for this significant growth may include – in addition to an actual increase in cases of endangerment – greater vigilance and willingness to report child protection issues, improvements in cooperation and training of professionals, and new legislation.
More than half of the affected children were eight years old or younger
In 2025, most of the affected boys and girls (40%) grew up with both parents or with a single parent (37%). A further 14% lived with one parent in a new partnership, and 9% lived in a children's home, with relatives, or elsewhere. Approximately half of the affected children (51%) were eight years old or younger, and about a quarter (26%) were four years old or younger. On average, the children were 8.5 years old. In 43% of all cases, the children or young people were already receiving child welfare services at the time of the risk assessment , meaning they had already been in contact with the support system. In about one in four of these cases (27%), a report concerning the child had already been filed within the year.
Most common and increasingly common: neglect and psychological abuse
Authorities investigating potential child welfare risks most frequently found signs of neglect (58%) and psychological abuse (38%). Physical abuse was found in 29% of cases, and sexual abuse in 5%. 25% of the affected children showed signs of not just one, but several of these types of risk – neglect, psychological, physical, or sexual abuse. In 2015, this figure was 16%.
Compared to the previous year, all four types of child endangerment have increased. However, the largest increases in 2025 were in neglect (+3,950 reports) and psychological abuse (+3,250 reports).
In 74% of cases, the danger (mainly) came from a parent
In 74% of all cases, the child's welfare was endangered – exclusively or primarily – by the mother or father. In 4% it was a stepparent or the new partner of a parent, and in 5% another person. In 9% of cases, several people were involved, without a main person being identifiable. In a further 7%, it was completely unknown or unclear who was endangering the child's welfare.
To end the dangerous situation, a support or protective measure was subsequently agreed upon in 91% of cases. In 18% of these cases, the youth welfare offices referred the matter to the family court. This typically occurs when the parents are unwilling or unable to avert the danger themselves or with the offered support, for example, due to a lack of cooperation.
Suspected cases also reached a new high, with 12% more cases
Prior to this, youth welfare offices had examined almost 268,300 suspected cases as part of a risk assessment . This means that risk assessments increased by 12% in 2025 – even more than the actual number of child welfare cases – and also reached a new record high.
In 2025, most reports of potential child endangerment came from the police and judiciary (30%) and from the general public – relatives, acquaintances, neighbors, or anonymous informants (22%). These were followed by schools and childcare facilities (16%) and child, youth, and educational support services (12%). In just under one-tenth of cases, the reports came from the families themselves, i.e., from the affected minors (2%) or their parents (7%).
Source + further information, methodological notes and graphics: Youth welfare offices report 10% more cases of child endangerment in 2025 – Federal Statistical Office, 13.08.2026
