Child Protection Services
Child protection service committees in each municipality help children who live in unacceptable living conditions and provide support for families.
Supporting Children and Families
All children have the right to a secure environment and to be protected against exploitation, abuse, harassment, and discrimination. Child Protection Services help children and support families in any way possible to provide the best environment for children.
If you think a child is neglected or abused in any way, it is your duty to notify Child Protective Services. Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a child in Iceland, including unborn babies. You should notify about negligence, incompetence, or parent's behaviour towards the child. It can also be about harassment or violence of others towards a child. Do not rely on others to report.
You can report to Child Protective Services by calling 112 or using the webchat. You can also call your local Child protective service. You need to provide your name but you can always request that your name is kept confidential.
If the child lives in Reykjavík, you can report to Reykjavík Child Protective Services by sending a notification through the Reykjavik municipality website. Some other municipalities also allow you to file a report online, such as Akureyri, Hafnarfjörður, Kópavogur and Garðabær.
Children can also ask for help themselves. Remember it is ok if you are not sure. Children should always have the benefit of the doubt.
Telephone
Child Protection Services help all children so they can live in acceptable conditions. Report anything you witness or know of to 112.
Sóley's Experience
Abuse in the home has severe consequences for children even if they themselves are not abused. Sóley is a 13-year-old girl who grew up in an abusive home controlled by her father. She has now moved to a new home with her mother and brother where they now live a new secure life.
Guidelines for how to react to violence against children
Children's welfare
All children have a right to protection against violence. It is the adults’ responsibility to guard this. If you know, or suspect that a child is being abused, you must report it. Serious bullying, negligence or risk behaviour must also be reported. Good communication and education is a good base to prevent violence and put a stop to it as quickly as possible.
Abuse against disabled people
Disabled women and children are more likely to be abused than others. Unfortunately, disabled people have often become so accustomed to prejudice, humiliating attitudes or poor service that they don’t realize that they are being abused.
