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ZGB arts. 307 + 308 — Kindesschutzmaßnahmen + Beistandschaft (verbatim)

Jurisdiction: Switzerland · Citation: Schweizerisches Zivilgesetzbuch arts. 307, 308 · Authoritative source: fedlex.admin.ch — ZGB

The graduated child-protection framework in Swiss family law. ZGB art. 307 establishes the Kindesschutzbehörde (KESB, Child and Adult Protection Authority) trigger for protective measures where the child's welfare is endangered (gefährdet) and the parents are unable to redress the situation. ZGB art. 308 codifies the Beistandschaft (advisory guardianship) — including the doctrinally distinctive Umgangsbeistandschaft (contact-supervisor guardianship) at sub-paragraph (2).

The provisions operate alongside ZGB arts. 273-275a Umgangsrecht and ZGB arts. 296-298 elterliche Sorge as the structural graduated-protection ladder of Swiss family law. Switzerland is doctrinally distinctive among DACH jurisdictions because the KESB (rather than the family court) is the primary child-protection authority — providing a separately-empowered welfare-protective intervention pathway.

Verbatim text (current consolidated)

Art. 307 ZGB — Geeignete Massnahmen

1 Ist das Wohl des Kindes gefährdet und sorgen die Eltern nicht von sich aus für Abhilfe oder sind sie dazu außerstande, so trifft die Kindesschutzbehörde die geeigneten Maßnahmen zum Schutz des Kindes.

2 Die Kindesschutzbehörde ist dazu auch gegenüber Kindern verpflichtet, die bei Pflegeeltern untergebracht sind oder sonst außerhalb der häuslichen Gemeinschaft der Eltern leben.

3 Sie kann insbesondere die Eltern, die Pflegeeltern oder das Kind ermahnen, ihnen bestimmte Weisungen für die Pflege, Erziehung oder Ausbildung erteilen und eine geeignete Person oder Stelle bestimmen, der Einblick und Auskunft zu geben sind.

Art. 308 ZGB — Beistandschaft

1 Erfordern es die Verhältnisse, so ernennt die Kindesschutzbehörde dem Kind einen Beistand, der die Eltern in ihrer Sorge um das Kind mit Rat und Tat unterstützt.

2 Sie kann dem Beistand besondere Befugnisse übertragen, namentlich die Vertretung des Kindes bei der Feststellung der Vaterschaft, bei der Wahrung seines Unterhaltsanspruches und anderer Rechte und die Überwachung des persönlichen Verkehrs.

3 Die elterliche Sorge kann entsprechend beschränkt werden.

English working translation

Art. 307 ZGB — Suitable measures

1 Where the welfare of the child is endangered (gefährdet) and the parents do not of their own initiative provide a remedy or are unable to do so, the Child Protection Authority (KESB) takes the suitable measures for the protection of the child.

2 The Child Protection Authority is so obliged also with respect to children who are placed with foster parents or otherwise live outside the household community of the parents.

3 It may in particular admonish the parents, the foster parents, or the child, give them specific instructions for care, upbringing, or education, and designate a suitable person or office to whom insight and information are to be given.

Art. 308 ZGB — Beistandschaft

1 Where the circumstances require it, the Child Protection Authority appoints a Beistand (advisor-guardian) for the child, who supports the parents in their care for the child with advice and action.

2 It may transfer specific competences to the Beistand, in particular the representation of the child in the determination of paternity, in safeguarding the child's maintenance claim and other rights, and the supervision of personal contact (Überwachung des persönlichen Verkehrs).

3 Parental responsibility may be correspondingly restricted.

Why this matters for PA

  • The Gefährdung threshold (art. 307 (1)). Ist das Wohl des Kindes gefährdet und sorgen die Eltern nicht von sich aus für Abhilfe. The trigger is welfare endangerment + parental inability or unwillingness to redress. This is the structural parallel to German BGB § 1666 Kindeswohlgefährdung, but with a critical procedural difference — the KESB (Child Protection Authority), not the family court, is the primary trigger authority. KESB proceedings are administrative rather than civil-litigation, providing a structurally faster and less adversarial intervention pathway.
  • The graduated measures list (art. 307 (3)). Sie kann insbesondere die Eltern … ermahnen, ihnen bestimmte Weisungen … erteilen. The KESB can:
  • Ermahnen (admonish/caution) the parents
  • Weisungen erteilen (issue specific instructions) on care, upbringing, or education
  • Designate a suitable person or office for monitoring
  • This is the structural Swiss graduated-escalation ladder — proportionate measures before contemplation of more invasive remedies.
  • Beistandschaft (art. 308 (1)). Erfordern es die Verhältnisse, so ernennt die Kindesschutzbehörde dem Kind einen Beistand. The KESB appoints a Beistand (advisor-guardian) for the child — who supports the parents mit Rat und Tat (with advice and action). The Beistand is not a substitute parent — they are a structural support resource alongside continued parental exercise.
  • Umgangsbeistandschaft (art. 308 (2)). Die Überwachung des persönlichen Verkehrs. The KESB can transfer to the Beistand the supervision of personal contact. This is the structural Swiss equivalent of the German Umgangspflegschaft under BGB § 1684 (3) and the Italian coordinatore genitoriale. The Umgangsbeistand is the doctrinally critical PA-pattern intervention — a court-appointed neutral whose statutory function is to facilitate contact across resistance.
  • The PA-pattern operational significance of the Umgangsbeistandschaft. Where sustained alienating conduct has frustrated contact, the Umgangsbeistandschaft under art. 308 (2) is the typical first-line intermediate intervention:
  • The Beistand has structural authority to facilitate contact
  • The Beistand can issue instructions to the alienating parent
  • The Beistand reports back to the KESB on compliance
  • Non-compliance can escalate to broader art. 307 measures or to family-court remedies under ZGB art. 298d (modification of parental responsibility)
  • Parental responsibility restriction (art. 308 (3)). Die elterliche Sorge kann entsprechend beschränkt werden. Parental responsibility may be correspondingly restricted — the structural authority for narrow restrictions of the alienating parent's decision-making where these specific decisions are needed by the Beistand. This is doctrinally important — restriction is calibrated to the Beistand's function, not blanket withdrawal.
  • The structural relationship with art. 311 and 312 Sorgeentziehung. ZGB art. 311 Entziehung der elterlichen Sorge is the apex-tier remedy operating where art. 307 + 308 measures are insufficient. The Swiss graduated-escalation ladder is therefore: art. 307 Weisungen → art. 308 Beistandschaft → art. 308 + Sorgebeschränkung → art. 311 Sorgeentzug.

Procedural application

  • The competent authority is the Kindesschutzbehörde (KESB / APEA / ARP depending on canton)
  • Proceedings under ZGB arts. 314-315 — administrative procedure with statutory hearing rights
  • The KESB has independent investigation duty and can engage Abklärungsdienste (clarification services)
  • The child is heard under ZGB art. 314a — capacity-based hearing standard
  • Appellate review to the cantonal Kindes- und Erwachsenenschutzgericht (KES Court), then to the Bundesgericht (Federal Supreme Court)

Use in alienating-conduct cases

  • The Bundesgericht has confirmed the operational primacy of art. 308 Umgangsbeistandschaft in PA-pattern cases — see BGer 5A_404/2015 and following authorities
  • The KESB has independent intervention authority — third parties (extended family, schools, healthcare providers) can trigger art. 307 proceedings without family-court litigation
  • Where the Umgangsbeistandschaft under art. 308 (2) demonstrably fails because of sustained alienating conduct, escalation to art. 311 Sorgeentzug is available — see BGer 5A_991/2019
  • Cantonal practice in Zürich, Bern, and Basel-Stadt has developed structured Beistandschaft frameworks specifically for PA-pattern cases — the Begleitete Besuchstreffen (supervised contact meetings) network is the typical intermediate operational arrangement

Cross-reference

Sources & authoritative references

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