Jeannett and Susann come to foster parents. They have been neglected and abused by their biological parents. However, their foster parents gradually learn what this means. Jeannett and Susann are lovable and cheerful, but they behave differently than other children. They are not bad, even though they steal and are highly aggressive. The foster parents learn that there is always a good reason for their actions. This means they know more than the youth welfare office is willing to admit or understand, and they realize that the school system is not designed for traumatized children. They discover that therapists are often trapped in their own specialties and therefore may not be of much help. Visits to the biological father, mandated by the youth welfare office, are chaotic. Susann becomes increasingly aggressive and projects her childhood experiences onto Ruth, the foster mother. The situation escalates.