Germany reports sharp decline in child protection placements for unaccompanied minors in 2025

In 2025 the youth offices of North Rhine‑Westphalia recorded about 14,200 child protection placements, an 18 % drop from the previous year. The reduction was largely driven by a 44 % decline in placements of unaccompanied minor refugees, falling from roughly 7,500 in 2024 to 4,200.

In Berlin, the number of placements fell even more sharply, with 3,298 cases – a 30.5 % decrease compared with 2024. The Berlin Senate attributes the drop chiefly to a 67 % fall in provisional placements of unaccompanied minor refugees. Regular placements in the city remained stable at around 2,600 cases.

The overall trend mirrors a broader decrease in asylum applications by unaccompanied minors across Germany, which fell to about 4,926 in 2025 – roughly a quarter of the 2024 figure. These developments reflect changing migration patterns and have reduced the demand for emergency child‑protection measures.