Zurich hospital sees growing number of mistreated children

Physical abuse of children is on the wane, but cases of neglect are rising. Keystone / Christof Schuerpf

The number of children admitted to Zurich Children’s Hospital showing signs of mistreatment has risen for the fifth year in a row, according to a child protection group.  

In 2023, the hospital treated fewer children for physical abuse but saw a rise in cases of neglect, which now make up a quarter of all cases. 

At the Zurich Children’s Hospital, the child protection group is alerted as soon as there is a suspicion that a child may have been abused. In 2023, this happened 679 times. In 2022 there were still 647 cases.  

Suspicions were found to be correct 518 times, in 123 cases the suspicion could neither be confirmed nor dispelled and 38 times there was no mistreatment. Rather, an accident had led to an injury. 

The number of mistreated children has increasing for the fifth year in a row. “This is worrying,” says Georg Staubli, head of the Child Protection Group and Victim Counselling Centre at the Zurich Children’s Hospital. On the other hand, it is positive that there were no deaths in 2023 and that cases of physical abuse decreased compared to 2022. 

In fact, the children’s hospital has treated fewer physically abused children, but the number of neglected children has increased. They now make up a quarter of all suspected cases. Children are denied their basic needs. 

“We have children who are malnourished or who stand outside without shoes in the winter,” says Staubli. Added to this is emotional neglect. For example, if the parents are mentally unwell, they can no longer take care of the children. 

Neglect occurs in all social classes. Even in rich families there is emotional neglect, for example when the children are provided with money even though they need emotions.  

Regarding the reasons why neglect has increased, Georg Staubli says: “We suspect that it has to do with the fact that the population as a whole is doing worse.” As a result, families in particular are exposed to high levels of stress and are often overwhelmed. This increases the risk of mistreatment. 

It is now widespread knowledge that you should not hit children, says Staubli. However, it is not yet well known that psychological abuse such as neglect also causes great damage: “In future, we will have to take a closer look and support overwhelmed parents as best as possible.” 

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