Children’s rights ombudsman advises 1000 children and young people
Published: Wednesday, Nov 20th 2024, 16:40
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The Children's Rights Ombudsperson's Office, founded in 2021, had advised 1002 children and young people in 709 cases by the end of 2023. According to the foundation, this supported the self-efficacy and well-being of adolescents. An analysis showed that the investments were worthwhile.
Since its foundation, the number of consultations has steadily increased, as the Winterthur-based ombudsman's office announced on Wednesday. In 2023, it dealt with 285 cases involving 365 young people. The foundation wrote that legal advice made them feel that they were being taken seriously and that their situation was better understood thanks to child-friendly communication.
Based on an impact analysis it commissioned, the ombudsman's office is calling for its permanent safeguarding. The analysis showed that the counseling and the resulting changes had positive effects on children, the environment and society.
Parents and mothers in particular have been able to increase their workload thanks to improved childcare solutions. This has also eased the burden on institutions such as schools and childcare facilities. Added to this is the prevention of violence and psychological stress.
According to the analysis, it was reported that the activities of the ombudsman's office avoided costs of CHF 170,000 per child on average. This means that six resolved cases already covered the investment of one million francs per year in the ombudsman's office.
The position is currently a pilot project until the end of 2025. It has announced that it plans to hand over the tasks to a public institution after that. In 2020, the Federal Parliament approved the creation of a national children's rights office in a motion by the then Councillor of States Ruedi Noser (FDP/ZH).
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