In the previous year, child and youth welfare received a quarter more reports of endangered child welfare than in 2020. Around 40 percent of these came from the police and almost a third from private individuals. The situation is completely different in health professions: hardly any suspected cases of endangerment of children’s well-being have been reported in this area. This is in the new performance report of the child and youth welfare service. According to Jürgen Hartmann, the deputy head of the Vorarlberg child and youth welfare service, this is far too little. “There’s still a lot of room for improvement here,” adds Hartmann.
Schools and kindergartens report faster than before
When the police call, something more has usually happened because they only intervene then. Anyone who works in the health sector should also be able to recognize bruises or other signs, says Jürgen Hartmann. On the other hand, he praises the schools and kindergartens. They would now report suspected cases faster than before.
After a report, a risk assessment is carried out by the district authority. What happens then differs from case to case. “Everything is difficult once morest the will of the legal guardians. However, if we are in the danger area, where the protection of the child in the home environment is no longer guaranteed, we speak of a full education. That means placing the child outside of the family environment,” explains Hartmann. In such a case, it is also important to keep in touch with the parents.
There is a need for foster parents
Within two years, the number of children placed with foster parents has fallen by 40. “That’s because there are fewer foster parents,” says Jürgen Hartmann. The need would be there. The personnel issue is just as important in child and youth welfare as anywhere else. Child and youth advocate Christian Netzer hopes that the staff shortage will not affect the children, but can be compensated for in some other way. “Currently you’re just getting by,” says Netzer.
365 children cared for
Not all children and young people who need a place in a home or with foster parents are accommodated in Vorarlberg, but most are. In addition to foster parents, there is also the option of children being accommodated in institutions. 365 children were cared for in institutions and with foster parents in the previous year and five children were accommodated in an institution outside the country. In the past there were many more. After bad experiences a few years ago, the country is now trying to keep this number as low as possible, according to child and youth welfare.
From parent counseling to child placement
The work of the child and youth welfare service ranges from parent counseling to the placement of children in foster families. Almost 14.5 million euros were spent last year to support the upbringing, the costs of bringing up children with foster parents amounted to a little more than two million euros. The largest cost item was education in inpatient facilities at 18 million euros.
In the past year, almost 9,000 general parent consultations were held in the parent advice centers of the child and youth welfare service. Around 7,000 overnight stays in mother-child apartments and more than 300 overnight stays in emergency shelters for young people were used.
