The new federal child protection act has actually been in place since january 2012. In fact, implementation has been a long time coming, partly because the recommendations of the bavarian youth welfare office for implementation were not forthcoming. It was only two months ago that the letters reached the desk of adelinde friedrich, head of the youth welfare office in habfurt.
Law applies immediately
The head of the youth welfare office now has the thankless task of demanding extended certificates of good conduct from all full-time employees in the public and independent youth welfare services. This is an extract from the federal central register, which also lists (in contrast to the simple driving certificate) convictions of less than 90 days' imprisonment or a custodial sentence of three months – especially if it involves the violation of the the duty of care and education, offences against sexual self-determination or abuse of children under protection are involved.
Associations, federations and municipal institutions affected by the child protection act. "For a long time, it was disputed to what extent we had to burden volunteers with this obligation, says adelinde friedrich. Now it is clear: the youth welfare office and the district youth association, in which almost all associations and clubs in the district are members, must collect the extended certificates of conduct from everyone who has contact with children and young people. "The associations and federations were already sensitized in advance for the coming new regulation", declares adelinde friedrich.
Clubs were surprised
This message did not get through to waldemar garreis, the TV ebern's script editor. "I don't know anything about the need for extended certificates of conduct", he says. In general, most of the club managers reacted with surprise to the request from the french day. Waldemar garreis does not like the new law: "bureaucracy is overrunning us associations. You know your people!"
Adelinde Friedrich, on the other hand, stands behind the new federal child protection act. "It gives children and parents a sense of security", she says. However, one must also see that an extended driving certificate alone does not offer one hundred percent protection. "It's part of child protection", puts it into perspective.
After the whitsun vacations, the youth welfare office and the district youth ring plan to offer an information event for the responsible persons concerned. Because the law takes effect immediately. "The text of the law does not provide for a time limit", female adelinde friedrich. Violations will not be punished. But the possible consequences of non-observance are bad enough. "If something happens, the responsible persons in the associations and in the youth welfare office are in the obligation", says adelinde friedrich.
Explosive documentation requirement
The board members of TSV wonfurt will also "bow to the legal regulations". Holger baunacher, chairman of the association and mayor of the municipality of wonfurt, is anything but enthusiastic. Volunteers should not be overburdened with too many duties, says the man from wonfurt, who has been an active member of the association for 25 years.
"Many come by the whole regulations temporally to their borders." on the other hand, the problem of abuse could not be pushed away. "That's an issue", says baunacher. But: "I don't think that the extended certificate of good conduct will bring the desired success."
What is already certain is the documentation obligation that the new legislation entails. Sensitive data from the federal central register must be stored, protected and deleted in a timely manner. It would be devastating if they fell into the wrong hands. In addition, a new extended driving certificate has to be submitted every five years.
Gunther preissner, first chairman of the SG eltmann, fubball department, was downright shocked by the new legislation. "There one has to do anyway with the fact that one finds honorary aids, and then that!", emport.
But even if there is a lot of work to be done by the associations, there are indeed black sheep in the district for whom the presentation of an extended certificate of good conduct would block access to work with children and young people. Only in february, a 43-year-old man from the northern district was convicted of sexually abusing a boy at the bamberg regional court. He had abused the child's trust.