Slovakia adopts new child protection actions, including helpline funding and move to ban corporal punishment

The Slovak Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family hosted a fourth round‑table on online child safety, bringing together ministries, police and the commissioner for children. Participants confirmed the continuation of anonymous help‑lines for minors, with the ministry planning a new funding call and discussions with the Health Ministry to integrate them into the mental‑health system via the Mental Health Fund. The government also expanded the network of child‑protection coordinators to 46 and launched the "Safe Place" campaign, marking roughly 450 institutions with special signs and involving about 4,000 children aged 12‑16 to disseminate information. Minister Erik Tomáš said, "Only inter‑departmental cooperation can bring effective protection for our children."

Commissioner Zuzana Stavrovská welcomed the government's approval of the Action Plan "Childhood without Violence" (2027‑2029) and its proposal to analyse a legislative ban on corporal punishment, noting that Slovakia is one of the last EU states without such a ban. She emphasized that the ban should have a preventive, not punitive, character and cited research linking corporal punishment to adverse mental‑health outcomes. Stavrovská suggested Slovakia look to the Czech Republic's recent legislation as a model.