Admission Stop in Overcapacity: Vienna Crisis Centers Reach Their Limits

The situation in the Vienna children's crisis centers seems to be worsening. According to a service order from the responsible child and youth welfare service (MA 11), the facilities are no longer allowed to exceed their capacity. In the event of full occupancy, new admissions for risk assessment will be accommodated in shared living communities until the end of January. "We are doing this so that the crisis centers do not burst at the seams even more," said spokeswoman Ingrid Pöschmann to the APA.

Emergency Solutions for Missing Crisis Places

However, there can be no talk of an emergency operation. "The crisis centers are under high pressure. That's why there is now this clear limitation," said Pöschmann. "The service order was issued in the sense of strategic and forward-looking planning."

Specifically, the two crisis centers per care region are not allowed to take in more than 24 children in total, with each of the six regions across Vienna's child and youth welfare service having to provide for its own children. Available shared living community places are to be filled regionally according to urgency, and in absolute emergencies, one more child can be accommodated in the shared living communities designed for eight places, as stated in the instruction available to the APA.

Pöschmann emphasized: "Of course, every child who needs a place as part of the risk assessment will get one." It is merely an attempt to "look more closely during the peak of tension" at which children and adolescents actually need to be placed in residential care. If there is no space in the crisis centers, the new admission will take place within a shared living community. If residential care is not necessary, an outpatient risk assessment will be conducted, according to MA 11.

A Crisis Center Currently Closed

A temporary closure of one of the two crisis centers in the Central-East region is currently adding to the strain on child and youth welfare. Due to a wave of sick leaves, one facility is currently closed. "It is planned that the crisis center will be back in operation soon," said the spokeswoman for MA 11.

The crisis centers of MA 11 have been struggling for years with increasing danger reports, staff shortages, overcrowding, structural deficiencies, and too few follow-up places. According to MA 11, 200 additional socio-educational residential places have been created in the past five years, with another 100 places in the process of being implemented.

14-Year-Old in Emergency Shelter While Waiting for Crisis Place

Recently, the situation seems to have worsened to the point where 14-year-olds have occasionally had to be accommodated in the Caritas youth emergency shelter a_way while waiting for a place in a crisis center. "There is currently such a case with us," confirmed a spokesperson for the Vienna Caritas. It was hoped that the young person could be referred further next week, according to Caritas.

Ombudsman Bernhard Achitz called for the expansion of adequate facilities in a statement to the APA. "When you notice that danger reports are increasing, you also need to create more crisis centers and specialized places." Although there is "awareness" of this on the part of the city of Vienna, as Achitz said, "the concepts presented to us to solve the acute problems are medium- to long-term." The Children's and Youth Advocacy also expressed similar criticism in their annual report published at the end of October.

Criticism from the Vienna ÖVP

The current reporting on the situation in the Vienna crisis centers shows a particularly disturbing picture, according to the Vienna People's Party. "Children are taken from their families because they are endangered there - and these very children then need stability, protection, and a safe place," emphasized family spokesperson Councilor Sabine Keri. The fact that these children can no longer be admitted to crisis centers, but are instead shuffled between facilities and temporarily housed in shared accommodations, is particularly serious and had been warned against. It is particularly irritating that additional budget for MA 11 was only approved in the education committee on Thursday, without a word being said about the dramatically worsened situation. "While budget increases are being discussed in committees, admissions are being throttled in reality and emergency solutions are being prepared," criticized Keri.

(APA/Red)

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