Czech child abuse cases hit multi-year high amid social policy developments

Czech social protection services documented over 10,000 cases of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation over the past year, marking a multi-year high. Authorities removed 3,616 children from their homes, an increase of 300 compared to the previous period. Child welfare experts and the ombudsman pointed to a lack of specialized preventive services and clear operational guidelines, noting that official records likely represent only a fraction of total cases.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is finalizing more than 300 new childcare groups supported by seven billion Czech korunas from the EU National Recovery Plan, though observers warn that regulatory standards for quality control have been overlooked.

At the European level, the European Commission proposed the EU KIDS Act, which would ban social media platforms for children under 13 and restrict independent accounts until age 15.

Sources: Deník N, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy.