Kinderschutzbund Köln / Kinderschutz-Zentrum Köln

What Kinderschutzbund Köln / Kinderschutz-Zentrum Köln does

Kinderschutzbund Köln (formally Der Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Köln e.V., also operating as Kinderschutz-Zentrum Köln and DKSB Köln) is a non-profit, registered charitable association founded in 1954 in Cologne, Germany, and a local chapter (Ortsverband) of the national Deutscher Kinderschutzbund federation. It provides free counseling, therapeutic support, group programs, and anonymous helpline services (Nummer gegen Kummer 116 111 for children and adolescents; Elterntelefon 0800 111 0550 for parents) to children, youth, parents/guardians, and child-welfare professionals in Cologne. For professionals, it delivers §8a SGB VIII risk assessments through certified 'Insoweit erfahrene Fachkräfte (InsoFa)' and supports institutional protection-concept development, on-site prevention training, and parent evenings. Volunteer programs (Kinder- und Jugendtelefon, KiWi welcome visits, Krankenhausbesuchsdienst, Familienpartnerschaften) extend service reach via trained community members.

The organization operates from two physical locations — its headquarters and editorial office at Bonner Str. 151, 50968 Köln, and the Koordinationsstelle Kalk at Rolshover Str. 7, 51105 Köln — and is led by Managing Director Lars Hüttler. Its technology stack is a standard nonprofit web and donation platform: a WordPress-hosted website (kinderschutzbund-koeln.de) integrated with FundraisingBox for online donation and membership forms, Stripe for payment processing, Complianz for GDPR cookie consent, Google reCAPTCHA for spam prevention, and Matomo for opt-in web analytics. No mobile application, AI/ML systems, or proprietary technology products are part of the stack. The trademarked DKSB/Kinderschutzbund logo and over 70 years of brand heritage are core intangible assets.

The business model is a hybrid public-private-nonprofit funding model. All services are delivered free of charge, with no pricing or commercial revenue streams. The organization requires approximately €800,000 annually in private matching funds (Eigenmittelanteil), supplemented by public subsidies, membership fees, and the affiliated Stiftung Kinderschutz Köln (a non-independent charitable foundation founded in 2013 that accepts endowments, donations, and bequests without limit). The organization explicitly states that public funds are insufficient to cover necessary child-protection activities, particularly the volunteer-led helplines, which are funded exclusively through private donations. A separate supporting association, Verein der Freunde und Förderer des Kinderschutzbundes OV Köln e.V., funds the development and implementation of new projects. Donations are tax-deductible and accepted online via FundraisingBox/Stripe and by bank transfer to Sparkasse KölnBonn (IBAN DE02 3705 0198 0019 3429 55). The customer base is non-paying beneficiaries segmented across three personas (children/youth, parents/guardians, and child-welfare professionals), with no enterprise customers, anchor donors, or major grant partners disclosed.

Name

Kinderschutzbund Köln / Kinderschutz-Zentrum Köln

Legal name

Der Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Köln e.V.

Website

https://kinderschutzbund-koeln.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Der Kinderschutzbund Köln is a 1954-founded non-profit child welfare association in Cologne offering free counseling, therapy, and helpline services to children, youth, parents, and child-welfare professionals, funded by public subsidies, donations, and its 2013 foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Protection & Family Welfare Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Child protection services
• Family counseling support
• Child welfare helpline
• Therapeutic trauma support
• Child endangerment consultation

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Private Donations and Membership Fees: The organization relies significantly on private donations to finance its work. Some activities, particularly the volunteer-based services like Kinder- und Jugendtelefon (children's helpline), Elterntelefon (parent helpline), and Familien-Partner (family partnership) programs, are funded exclusively through private donations. Annual equity contribution (Eigenmittelanteil) amounts to approximately 800,000 EUR.
2. Public Funding and Subsidies: Partial financing comes from public funds and subsidies. These public resources are noted as insufficient to cover all necessary child protection activities, necessitating supplementary private funding.
3. Foundation and Grant Income: The Stiftung Kinderschutz Köln (founded 2013) accepts endowments, donations, and bequests without limit, providing a sustainable funding mechanism for long-term support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kinderschutzbund Köln provides free counseling, therapeutic support, and group programs for children and adolescents affected by violence, abuse, or neglect, as well as for parents/caregivers and professionals in child welfare. Services include anonymous helplines (Nummer gegen Kummer 116 111 and Elterntelefon 0800 111 0550), risk assessment consultations for professionals under §8a SGB VIII, prevention training, and community-based volunteer programs (Kinder- und Jugendtelefon, KiWi welcome visits, hospital visits, and family partnerships).

Product overview

Kinderschutzbund Köln is a non-profit child welfare association founded in 1954, offering a portfolio of free counselling, therapeutic, and group-based services for children, adolescents, parents, and professionals. The core offerings consist of counselling for children and adolescents in distress, therapeutic support for violence and neglect victims, group sessions (e.g., on parental separation), and the anonymous helplines Nummer gegen Kummer (116 111) and Elterntelefon (0800 111 0550). These are complemented by professional support for Fachkräfte including §8a SGB VIII risk assessments by InsoFa and on-site training. A set of volunteer programmes (Kinder- und Jugendtelefon, KiWi – Kinder-Willkommen-Besuche, Familienpartnerschaften, Krankenhausbesuchsdienst) extends the reach of services. Two sub-brands — the Stiftung Kinderschutz Köln (founded 2013) and the Verein der Freunde und Förderer — provide institutional fundraising support. An online donation tool powered by FundraisingBox enables direct contributions, with an annual own-contribution requirement of approximately €800,000.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beratung für Kinder und Jugendliche (Counseling for Children and Adolescents) Free counseling service for children and adolescents in Cologne who are in distress or experiencing conflict. Accessible without parental knowledge, with referrals to therapeutic support and group programs as needed. For children and adolescents.
• Therapeutische Unterstützung (Therapeutic Support) Free therapeutic support for children and adolescents who have experienced emotional, physical, or sexualized violence or neglect, helping them process and cope with traumatic experiences. For children and adolescents affected by abuse or neglect.
• Gruppenangebote für Kinder und Jugendliche (Group Programs for Children and Adolescents) Group sessions for children and adolescents who have experienced similar situations (e.g., parental separation and divorce), enabling peer exchange and the development of coping strategies. For children and adolescents dealing with family separation/divorce or similar shared experiences.
• Nummer gegen Kummer (116 111) Children's Helpline Anonymous helpline at number 116 111 for children and adolescents available Monday to Saturday 14:00–20:00, providing a confidential listening ear for worries and concerns. For children and adolescents seeking anonymous emotional support.
• Beratung für Eltern und Erziehungsberechtigte (Counseling for Parents and Guardians) Counseling for parents and caregivers on parenting questions, family conflicts, separation and divorce situations, and child welfare concerns, including referrals for therapeutic support for their children. For parents and legal guardians.
• Elterntelefon (0800 111 0550) Parent Helpline Anonymous helpline at 0800 111 0550 for parents and caregivers to discuss worries and concerns about their children, available Monday to Friday 9:00–17:00 (Tuesday and Thursday until 19:00). For parents and caregivers seeking confidential support.
• Beratung für Fachkräfte (§8a SGB VIII) Professional Consultation Expert consultation for professionals from youth welfare, youth work, education, and childcare institutions, including risk assessments by 'Insoweit erfahrene Fachkräfte (InsoFa)' under §8a SGB VIII, and support in developing or reviewing institutional protection concepts. For child welfare and education professionals.
• Fortbildungen und Elternabende (Training and Parent Evenings) On-site training sessions and parent evenings for the prevention of (sexualized) violence, delivered at partner institutions, plus participation in expert committees on child protection and children's rights. For institutional staff, parents, and professional bodies.
• Online-Spendenformular (Online Donation Tool) Online donation tool powered by FundraisingBox and Stripe, enabling credit card and bank transfer donations to the association, with encrypted SSL connection, fraud prevention, and tax-deductible donation receipts. For private donors, corporate donors, and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free therapeutic support for children affected by emotional, physical, sexual, or neglect-related trauma
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Bündnis KindergrundsicherungmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition against child poverty and benefit cuts, comprising Save the Children Deutschland and Der Kinderschutzbund. Jointly opposes government plans to eliminate the 25-euro Sofortzuschlag monthly supplement for families, calling the measure irresponsible and short-sighted. Advocates for comprehensive recalculation of children's living expenses and proper support systems.
• Save the Children DeutschlandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-member of the Bündnis Kindergrundsicherung coalition. Both organizations jointly oppose budget consolidation measures affecting children in poverty and call for comprehensive child support system reform.
• VdK (Sozialverband VdK Deutschland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly condemned the proposed reduction of state advance child maintenance payments (Unterhaltsvorschuss) from age 18 to 16, calling it a 'scandal' that would deepen inequality and worsen child poverty for single-parent families.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SOS Kinderdorf: A larger, established child welfare nonprofit operating residential and family support services across Germany. Comparable in mission and beneficiary population, but offers a wider portfolio of residential care and education that the Köln organization does not provide.
• Diakonie Köln und Region: Faith-based social services network in Cologne providing family support, counseling, and youth services. Comparable in target population and service categories, though with a broader welfare mandate across age groups and life situations.
• Caritas Köln: A large regional social services provider in Cologne offering family counseling, social assistance, and child-related support. Comparable in service categories and local reach, but as a broader welfare organization covering many populations beyond children.

Emerging players

• Wildwasser Köln e.V. A specialized Cologne nonprofit focused on sexual abuse prevention and support for affected girls and women. Comparable in trauma-informed child protection work and local Cologne focus, though narrower in scope.

Regional players

• Jugendamt Köln: Municipal child and youth welfare authority in Cologne. Comparable as a referrer of cases and statutory partner under §8a SGB VIII, though serving a regulatory/mandated role rather than a voluntary nonprofit service delivery model.

Direct peers

• Save the Children Deutschland: Coalition partner in Bündnis Kindergrundsicherung. Comparable as a child welfare and protection nonprofit operating in Germany with similar advocacy, fundraising, and family support programs, though at national scale and with broader international backing.
• Nummer gegen Kummer e.V. National operator of the children and youth helpline (116 111) and Elterntelefon that Kinderschutzbund Köln supports through volunteer phone counselors. Directly comparable in anonymous helpline service delivery and child welfare mission.
• Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Berlin: A sibling Ortsverband of DKSB operating in Berlin with the same service portfolio (counseling, therapy, helplines, §8a SGB VIII consultation). Directly comparable as a peer local chapter of the same national federation serving a different major German city.
• Kinderschutz-Zentrum München: Specialized child protection center in Munich offering counseling, therapeutic support, and Fachkräfte-beratung under §8a SGB VIII. Directly comparable service model, funding structure, and target population to Kinderschutzbund Köln.
• Deutscher Kinderschutzbund (DKSB) Bundesverband: The national federation of which Kinderschutzbund Köln is a local chapter (Ortsverband). Directly comparable as it provides the same child protection, counseling, and family support mandate at the federal level, sharing brand identity, advocacy positions, and program frameworks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kinderschutzbundkoeln
• Instagraminstagram.com/kinderschutzbund.koeln

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kinderschutzbund Köln / Kinderschutz-Zentrum Köln