PDF file for download: "Racism in the German child welfare office"

A collaboration between Frauenkreise & Space2groW with Reach Out, KOP & URRM

In the course of our work, we have witnessed many people come to our counseling centers who were affected by the removal of their children or were at risk of removal by the hands of the youth welfare office. We have found that the institutions involved in processes such as this one tend to lack tact, awareness, and understanding of the precarious and racist reality of migrants in Germany. These factors, although crucial to understanding the circumstances of those affected, are often neglected in cases of child removal in Germany.

There are offices, such as Ombuds, that have been set up to support families in conflict with the Youth Welfare Office. However, even in spaces such as that one, there is often a lack of specific knowledge about racism, appropriate strategies, and capacity. As a result, BIPOC mothers and families continue being discriminated against by the state.

In order to confront this reality, we established a group dedicated to working on the issue and offering resources surrounding the Youth Welfare Office. After a series of events done by said group in November, 2023, this brochure was created. Currently, we continue to network with people who are affected by the system and connect with people and groups determined to raise awareness and provide resources about this issue.

This brochure is meant to serve as a tool for parents of migrants when navigating and trying to access information about the Youth Welfare Office. A printable version in German and English is attached at the end of this article. We are in the process of translating this information; nevertheless, resources and information in Arabic, Turkish, and other languages done by other organizations can be found online.

We invite you to download, use, and share this important material with your community and networks.

Rassismus bei Inobhutnahme_online_klein (1).pdf

Download PDF • 7.21MB