Hotlines & help
Free numbers for emergencies and everyday questions. Tap a number to call. In a life-threatening situation always call 112.
Emergency
Life-threatening situations: serious accidents, breathing difficulties, unconsciousness, heart attack, fire. Free from any phone.
🕒 24/7
🗣 All languages
Urgent but not life-threatening: high fever, severe pain, vomiting, when your doctor is closed.
🕒 24/7
🗣 German, some English
Website →If your child may have swallowed something harmful (medicine, cleaning products, plants, button batteries), call the poison centre for your state. If your child is unconscious or struggling to breathe, call 112.
Berlin (Berlin, Brandenburg): 030 19240
Bonn (Nordrhein-Westfalen): 0228 19240
Erfurt (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen): 0361 730730
Freiburg (Baden-Württemberg): 0761 19240
Göttingen (Bremen, Hamburg, Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein): 0551 19240
Mainz (Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland): 06131 19240
München (Bayern): 089 19240
🕒 24/7
🗣 German
Official list (BfR) →Family & children
Free, anonymous counselling for parents on any parenting challenge.
🕒 Mon, Wed, Fri 9am–5pm; Tue, Thu 9am–7pm
🗣 German
Website →Anonymous support for children and teenagers with any worries.
🕒 Mon–Sat 2pm–8pm; online chat Mon–Thu 2pm–8pm
🗣 German
Website →Free, anonymous help if you are pregnant and feel you cannot cope, including confidential birth (vertrauliche Geburt).
🕒 24/7
🗣 German + many languages with interpreters
Website →Mental health & violence
Benefits & services
Apply for Kindergeld (259 €/month per child in 2026): online, by post or at a local office.
🕒 Free call
🗣 German, English
Website →Official portal for Elterngeld applications, the calculator and all family benefits.
🕒 24/7 online
🗣 German
Website →Multilingual guide to housing, healthcare and rights for newcomers.
🕒 24/7 online
🗣 Many languages incl. EN, DE, AR, RU, TR, UK
Website →