Kindeswohl Im Recht

The undefined German legal term "Kindeswohl" ("the best interest and welfare of the child") not only serves as a legitimization of the state to intervene when a child is in a dangerous situation but also serves as a measuring scale for decisions. Often, the term has to be concretised with the help of legal decisions - both for the support and fulfilment of custody and for guaranteeing the child's well-being by the state. In all these steps different interests and functions collide in order to find the best solution for the child. The author analyses the resulting peculiarities for the best interest and welfare of the child. His conclusion is as follows: In order to fulfil the legal principle for the best interest and welfare of the child, structural changes in processes concerning the law of parent and child as well as the professional access to these must come into force.