We are ALL child protection. Let's be curious.

Child protection is an example of a municipal service that must remain uninterrupted at all civil contingency alert levels. Child protection is a collaborative effort involving all those who work with children and the general public, who are often in a better position to observe a child's circumstances and report any concerns to the child protection services.  

A referral to the child protection committee is not a complaint, but rather a request for assistance for the child or family in question, whom the referrer believes is in need of help. It is possible to send a notification in through the child protection referral form  or call 585-5500 during the opening hours of the Hafnarfjörður Borough Service Desk, all weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact with the on-call duty officer in the evenings and at weekends is via the emergency number 112.

Let's be curious about the circumstances of children and young people.

It is generally requested that members of the public keep a close eye on the circumstances of children and report them to social services if the conditions in which they are living appear to be unacceptable. This is no less important during these unusual and difficult times that society is currently experiencing. Children and their families are now at home more during the day, without routines and normal activities. School and nursery are limited, families are visiting friends and relatives less, and regular sports and leisure activities have been cancelled. On top of this, in some cases, people have added worries about their finances, lockdowns, and the virus itself, which can increase anxiety and distress for both parents and children. Furthermore, not all children have parents who are imaginative enough to create a schedule of activities and quality time for the whole family. Those who are already most vulnerable are now facing an even tougher time than before, and so these children and their families are under a great deal of strain. Alcohol and substance use can increase and, unfortunately, so can the accompanying violence, both towards adults and, not least, towards children. 

Let's join hands and make our voices heard.

The staff of Hafnarfjörður encourage residents and friends of the town to keep a close eye on the children and young people in their local area, and remind them that the duty to report concerns to child protection services has never been more important. Let us be curious about children and their well-being. 

• Notifications to child protection
• See all about child protection in Hafnarfjörður 
• Download the lighthouse. Child protection is a professional service with a good purpose. An interview with Helena Unnarsdóttir, Head of Child Protection in Hafnarfjörður, on the Vitan podcast. 
• We want to work with parents. Interview with Helena Unnarsdóttir, Head of Child Protection in Hafnarfjörður, in the local paper Hafnfirðingurinn.