Press releases of Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF)

In 2024, approximately 18,100 children under the age of 14 in Germany were recorded by police as having been victims of sexual abuse. Children and adolescents spend much of their time in school, where they build social relationships with peers and teachers. Yet many teachers feel unsure about how to respond when a student confides in them. The development of a prevention and intervention plan (referred to as a Schutzkonzept, or “protection plan”) to safeguard child welfare—now a legal requirement under Schleswig-Holstein’s school law—poses an additional challenge for schools. The training developed at EUF addresses both of these challenges.

Researchers are tackling these issues as part of a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The training program for specially designed liasons was developed at EUF in collaboration with experts from schools, child protection services, and law enforcement. “We believe that every school should have one or two specially trained professionals who have expertise in handling suspected cases of sexual violence,” explains Prof. Dr. Simone Pülschen, head of the early-career research group that designed the training program. “These reference persons are expected to support the development of school protection plans in collaboration with specialized counseling centers and school leadership, maintain connections with regional child protection networks, and offer guidance on possible courses of action in suspected cases of sexual violence, including initiating child protection interventions.“

The training is open to students and teachers from all teaching degree programs, and also welcomes other child protection professionals, such as school psychologists and social workers. So far, 100 professionals have completed the training, half of whom are EUF teacher training students.To help them feel confident in their role, the program concludes with an opportunity to connect with child protection experts from the region. The project team is supported by a regional network of professionals, including:

• Pro Familia Flensburg (Wagemut, Löwenherz, Men’s Counseling, Childhood House)
• PETZE Institute for the Prevention of Violence
• Flensburg’s General Social Services (ASD), City of Flensburg
• Child Protection Counseling, Youth Services Division, City of Flensburg
• Central Office for Police Prevention, State Police Department
• Reporting Office for Sexualized Violence Against Children and Adolescents, German Child Protection Association – Schleswig Region e.V.
• Survivor Network for Sexual Abuse in Schleswig-Holstein, BLINKFÜÜR

The training program continues to evolve. Thus, for example, the researchers are following some of the specialists for over a year as they help develop school-based protection plans, and their experiences are being used to further refine training content by adding to the recommended interventions. A new round of training will begin in the fall of 2025.

To expand access to the program beyond EUF, the team plans to make the training materials available to other institutions. In 2026, qualified professionals in child protection and higher education faculty with relevant expertise will be trained as trainers. This will allow the program to be offered at additional locations, so that even more school communities can benefit from the knowledge and support of the trained experts.