Child protection in Belgium: an overview of the systems

This chapter explores the child protection systems in Belgium. The complex structure of Belgium’s three communities has implications for the child protection system, most of which are related to child maltreatment. The regulation and legislation addressing help for child maltreatment differ between the Flemish Community, the German Community, and the Walloon Community. Additionally, child abuse and neglect (CAN) are treated as a criminal act at a federal level. The Belgian child protection systems emphasize the protective function of the government with a more social democratic approach of defamiliarization policies. The characterization of CAN depends on social structures, attitudes, values, norms, and laws.