Since the Children counseling center was founded in 1917 by Prof. August Homburger, Professor at the Psychiatric University Hospital and Prof. Ernst Moro, Director of the University Children's Hospital in Heidelberg, children and young people with mental disorders have received specialized care from the University of Heidelberg. In 1927, the first child psychiatric textbook by Prof. Homburger was published by Springer-Verlag. The Building "Villa  Blumenstrasse" in Weststadt - Heidelberg was  used by the outpatient clinic of the Psychiatric Clinic after world war II. In 1958, the first children's ward was opened and the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry was established by Prof. Dr. Manfred Müller-Küppers and elevated to a chair in 1971. Prof. Müller-Küppers headed the department until the appointment (1993) of the current chair holder, Prof. Dr. med. univ. Franz Resch.

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. med. univ. Franz Resch, the outpatient and inpatient treatment offerings were expanded by the establishment of a day clinic (1995), special outpatient clinics, the consultation and liaison service, and the mobile reference person system (MRPS), which has been a specialized offer of follow-up care for adolescents since 1996.

For the treatment of adolescents with severe mental illnesses, acute inpatient care was established in 1994 in cooperation with the Department of General Psychiatry by setting up a joint special ward. The further development of this interdepartmental treatment concept culminated in 2003 in the opening of the Early Treatment Center (ETC), which provides inpatient, day clinic and outpatient services for the care of adolescents and young adults in mental crises.

The Ward for Development and Psychotherapy (STEP) enables the treatment of adolescents in a specialized psychotherapeutic setting. This ward was generously equipped through funding from the HOPP Foundation in 2008.