The umbrella organization of the Austrian child and youth care (DÖJ) sounds the alarm: due to a huge staff shortage, more and more facilities have to be closed, the entire child and youth care (KJH) is “seen as threatened”, the umbrella organization said on Friday. “It’s catastrophic,” said chairman Gerald Herowitsch-Trinkl.
According to the umbrella organization, so-called risk reports – ie reports to the respective youth care services if the well-being of a child appears to be in danger – have been submitted to the public in several federal states. The personnel are leaving “the sinking ship”, according to Herowitsch-Trinkl in the ORF-Ö1- “Journal at 8”. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find qualified employees.
In addition to blocking facilities – according to “Morgenjournal”, two crisis centers in Vienna are currently closed – planned ones could not be opened. The situation in Styria and Salzburg is particularly precarious. According to the report, there were also hazard reports from all three states across the KJH to respective state authorities.
„Appalling lack of space“ in Vienna
The children suffer: “It is certainly already a problem that children and young people who are severely traumatized and who urgently need help simply cannot find support, they stay at home and cannot find a place,” says Herowitsch-Trinkl. According to the DÖJ, the departure of personnel can hardly be replaced, even though the quality requirements for specialized personnel have been reduced to the maximum. In crisis centers in Vienna, for example, this means “mattresses on the floor, lack of desks to study and a blatant lack of space, privacy and possibilities to withdraw, small children next to children with psychiatric problems or delinquent adolescents”.
Labor shortage also among social workers
“Since the establishment of the DÖJ, we have never seen the situation so dramatic. Under these circumstances, child protection can no longer be maintained,” said Herowitsch-Trinkl. He pointed out that the pandemic and the wave of inflation are among the causes of the crisis. Families and children already at risk of poverty are hit hardest by inflation. “Most children in youth care come from families with precarious financial circumstances,” says the DÖJ. In addition, due to the pandemic, social workers have had very limited access to the families and can only do so very slowly, especially since there is also a dire shortage of workers in this area.
“Every country does what it wants”
Herowitsch-Trinkl regretted that the federal government had placed the powers of the KJH in the hands of the federal states. “Every country does what it wants,” said the DÖJ chairman. “There is a huge staff shortage in all states.” He called for nationwide crisis management in child and youth care, the reintroduction of a federal law on child and youth care and the mobilization of federal funds. Herowitsch-Trinkl also called for the profession of social worker to be included in the list of occupations with shortages, so that the labor market service (AMS) would support the training. “That would be a first step, but many steps are needed.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
