[Restricting freedom of children and adolescents from the adolescent psychiatry and legal viewpoint].

Recent developments in child and adolescent psychiatry, youth welfare and the law concerning involuntary hospitalisation are discussed. Enforcement of control and coercive measures seems to be inevitable in some of the situations in adolescent psychiatry. The authors therefore recommend an open discussion on compulsory procedures in and between the institutions involved. They present clearcut rules for concerted action that have been jointly developed in their district.