Discussion about “System Winterhoff”: The first facilities are drawing conclusions

After the serious allegations against the well-known child psychologist Winterhoff is discussed in the youth welfare about its treatment methods. Some institutions have already taken action.

Christof Kriege from Diocesan Caritas Association for the Archdiocese of Cologne says he was “very shocked” at how uncritically child and youth welfare institutions have taken over the psychiatric diagnostics and therapy from Winterhoff. But also about the fact that youth welfare offices and family courts had taken over the expert recommendations one to one. “

WDR and “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (SZ) came across legal guardians who were threatened by the youth welfare office with the withdrawal of custody because they wanted to discontinue the medication prescribed by Winterhoff for their children. In at least one case, the threat was implemented and judicially confirmed.

Diocesan Caritas Association calls for critical review

Kriege says the Diocesan Caritas Association has asked all around 60 outpatient and inpatient child and youth welfare organizations to critically review the cooperation with Winterhoff. Among them is the Kleine Muck eV Bonn. The association operates several facilities and was co-founded by Winterhoff. To this day he sits on the entire board of the association and has at the same time treated numerous children in its facilities as a specialist.

The youth welfare office in Niederkassel announced that they would only work again with the association’s facilities once they broke away from the Winterhoff practice. The St. Augustin Youth Welfare Office has already announced that it has terminated the cooperation with Winterhoff. One sees serious indications of a technically unjustifiable, harm-causing working method of the child psychiatrist.

The first institutions distance themselves

The first facilities in which Winterhoff treated children are also distancing themselves. The management of a facility near Bonn announced that they had ended the cooperation some time ago. The current reporting confirms this step.

State youth welfare office of Rhineland not surprisingly

Lorenz Bahr, Head of Department in the Rhineland Youth Welfare Office, is not very surprised by the allegations against Winterhoff. Years ago, the sponsors of some institutions ended their cooperation – because of “the high and long-lasting dosage of drugs in children and adolescents”. However, no instructions were given to other institutions or youth welfare offices: Ultimately, the parents and custodians would decide which medication the children and adolescents should receive. The medical association is responsible for the supervision of the doctors.

No rush to the medical association

There does not seem to be any great rush there. A spokeswoman for the North Rhine Medical Association said that his supervisory function was bound by the rule of law. Investigations are only possible if there is an initial suspicion. For this purpose, a specific fact is required, “on the basis of which we can carry out a professional law examination”. For data protection reasons, the spokeswoman did not want to say whether this initial suspicion exists at Winterhoff. According to research by WDR and SZ reported a victim to the North Rhine Medical Association allegedly months ago irregularities in the treatment by the child psychiatrist.

What did Winterhoff prescribe?

When asked, Katharina Binz, Minister of Youth and Family of Rhineland-Palatinate, said that it had to be clarified immediately to what extent Winterhoff had prescribed psychotropic drugs to children “with a dubious diagnosis and possibly unnecessarily”. The state youth welfare office was commissioned to inquire which institutions and youth welfare offices in Rhineland-Palatinate had worked or are still working with Winterhoff. In addition, the Family Ministry of Rhineland-Palatinate had contacted the State Medical Association of North Rhine and the North Rhine Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and “asked for an examination of the medical professional code and ordinance law”.

SPD in NRW speaks of a “tangible scandal”

Dennis Maelzer, family policy spokesman for the SPD in North Rhine-Westphalia, speaks of a “tangible scandal” if the allegations against Winterhoff prove to be true. The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia must fully clarify and deal with the case. His party will request a report on this. The youth welfare offices are also called upon, “who must clarify whether there is a risk to the child’s welfare here”.

The Ministry of Family Affairs in North Rhine-Westphalia has so far only commented briefly: There are very serious allegations that former patients and their families raise against the child psychiatrist. “In particular, the allegations of children in the home who need special protection must be fully and completely clarified.”

What made the “Winterhoff System” possible?

Experts are calling for what the “Winterhoff System” has made possible. The pediatrician and author Herbert Renz-Polster points out that the system only worked through applause and collaboration. “His system works because the way of thinking he has formulated about children and about adult-child relationships encounters widespread attitudes in society, in education and in youth welfare.”

In the WDR-Story editors have now contacted more than 50 victims who would like to describe their experiences with Winterhoff.

Winterhoff’s lawyers see “misrepresentations”

Winterhoff himself let it be known through his lawyers that the ARD-Story, in his opinion, contained misrepresentations against which he would proceed. “I believe that we are looking at each individual case here and through the WDR-Be able to remove any irritations that have arisen. I am confident that it will succeed. I am talking to institutions and authorities about this. “