Finding out about and/or requesting help for a child or young person in distress

Residents

A child or young adult in distress (e.g., experiencing physical, mental, emotional, or social development issues, or physical or emotional danger, or social exclusion) may be offered help and support by the National Office for Children (Office national de l'enfance - ONE).

The general rule is to keep young people in their home environment, with separation being the exception. This principle guides the actions of the ONE.

Various types of support may be offered. This may include providing assistance and support in an institution or in the family setting, during the day or at night, as well as outpatient assistance, such as psychological, social, or educational support.

Who is concerned

Support measures can be requested by:

the child or young adult themselves;
any family member or person of their entourage;
professional third parties (social worker, school, etc.).

The child or young adult must:

be between 0 and 27 years of age; and
reside in Luxembourg; and
be experiencing physical, mental, emotional, or social developmental difficulties; or
be in physical or psychological danger; or
be at risk of social exclusion.

Costs

Various types of support are covered by the ONE. However, depending on the family's financial situation, the ONE may ask it to contribute to the cost of services.

How to proceed

Applying for help or support

The child, young adult or any other person interested can make a first contact with ONE (by phone, mail or in person at the reception desk) in order to:

find out what situation the person concerned is in; and
find out about the possibilities ONE has to offer.

Office national de l'enfance
33, Rives de Clausen
L-2165 Luxembourg
Phone: (+352) 247-73696
Fax: (+352) 247-73699
Email: one@one.etat.lu

For those with detailed information about the situation—generally professionals in the field—the request is made by completing an application for help or support and returning it to ONE:

by post; or
by email;

The applicant will be contacted as quickly as possible. The applicant may be directed to the appropriate service provider or asked to an individual interview with ONE.

Professionals in this field may also submit an application for help or support through MyGuichet.lu.

Support and follow-up are provided throughout the year.

If should be noted that it is possible to stop receiving services at any time.

Help and support services financed by the ONE

Emotional, social, and educational support in the family setting

This type of support is for families experiencing educational and interpersonal issues, as well as for young adults in distress.

They are intended to:

support families in the daily organisation of family life;
support parents and families with respect to the educational and interpersonal needs of children and young people;
support parents in developing and applying their educational and interpersonal skills;
support parents and families in dealing with administrative formalities (accompanying parents to appointments with the administration, helping to fill out application forms, etc.);
prevent children and parents from becoming overwhelmed by their situation.

Psycho-pedagogical, therapeutic, and social services

These services are for children, young adults, and parents with behavioural problems, personality problems, or interpersonal or socio-affective problems.

Their goals are as follows:

where possible, to prevent the development of behavioural, personality, interpersonal, or socio-affective problems in children and young adults;
to teach beneficiaries how to manage the problems in question to achieve better social inclusion, by responding to needs relating to personality and behavioural development;
to give young people renewed confidence in themselves and to encourage the development of stable, safe relationships with their family and friends;
to expand and strengthen the interpersonal skills of the parents or guardians, by supporting them in educational tasks;
to inform, guide, and support families in connection with their child's situation and development:
- by providing information about the nature of the problems being experienced by one of the family members; and
- by supporting the development of a family environment that meets the needs of all of its members.

Help with learning difficulties

These services are aimed at children and young adults between 0 and 27 years old (or between 0 and 12 years old, for early special education measures) with a disability or retarded motor, cognitive, language, sensory, or socio-affective development. They are also aimed at children and young adults who are at risk of retarded development, and developing behavioural disorders and disabilities.

These services include:

activities to stimulate overall development, or motor, cognitive, language, sensory, or socio-affective development;
learning and educational advice for the individuals concerned, families, and professionals;
information for young people, parents, families, and professionals (such as social workers and schools) about the young person's developmental issues.

Socio-familial services for families

These services are for families in precarious socio-educational and material circumstances who are having difficulty meeting their children's basic needs.

They are intended to:

support families in meeting their children's basic needs in terms of food, housing, and clothing;
support the family in performing childcare tasks, such as bathing children or caring for a child who is ill, and domestic chores, such as cleaning, laundry, ironing, meal preparation, etc.;
offer solutions for relieving families in the short term (through childcare);
offer support for families in specific situations, such as one or both parents being ill or hospitalised (shopping, childcare, etc.).