Kesb protection measures reach record high in 2025
Tuesday 22nd September 2026 on 15:15 in
Switzerland
The number of people covered by a protection measure from Switzerland’s Child and Adult Protection Authority, known as Kesb, reached a record high in 2025, SRF reported. A total of 164,336 people were affected at the end of the year, an increase of 3.4 percent from 2024.
About one third of those affected were children and two thirds were adults, according to figures published by the Conference for Child and Adult Protection, or Kokes. The increase continues a trend dating back to the 1990s, with annual rises of between 2 and 3 percent.
Over the past decade, the number of child protection cases rose by 20 percent, while adult protection cases increased by 26 percent. Between the end of 2016 and the end of 2025, this growth was significantly higher than population growth, which stood at 6.6 percent among children and 8 percent among adults.
More people seek support
The increase does not necessarily mean that people are worse off than in the past, Kokes Secretary General Diana Wider said in a statement. People who need support are more likely to seek and receive it today than they were 10 years ago, she said.
Kesb measures range from supportive guardianships to the withdrawal of parental authority. They are ordered when the protection of a child or an adult cannot otherwise be adequately ensured.
Issues such as mental health and domestic violence are being discussed more openly, according to Kokes. Relatives, schools, hospitals and police are paying closer attention and responding earlier.
At the same time, the rising figures point to a heavily strained and, in some cases, overloaded support system. Long waiting times in psychiatric care are among the reasons cited for the increase. Child protection groups, women’s shelters and counselling services are also regularly reaching their capacity limits.
An ageing population is creating additional demand for adult protection services, including because of loneliness. Kokes is the umbrella organisation for child and adult protection authorities and collects nationwide statistics and issues professional recommendations.