Between 1989 and 1995 ombudsoffices for children and youth were set up in all nine Austrian States. In addition to the nine local offices, a federal Children’s Ombudsperson was established in 1991. The legal bases are Federal and State Child Welfare Legislations. The offices are funded by public money.

The ten ombudspersons are the heads of their local offices. They are supported by around 20 staff members (some of them part time), lawyers, psychologists, psychotherapists, welfare workers. So around 30 people are working on these issues for children in Austria!

The ombudspersons are appointed by the state governments. They are free from any interference from politicians and officials according to a special constitutional privilege. In most states the term of office ends after five years with the possibility of reappointment. Recently three ombudspersons have not been nominated for a second term.

The offices have to submit an annual report on their acitvities and experiences to the state governments.

The cooperation with state governments and parliament is correct, but of course not all our ideas, concepts, suggestions and appeals are heard and realized (see above).

The relations to the NGOs in Austria are very good and constructive. There are a lot of common projects like the annual celebration of the „day of the child" and the efforts to make the Children’s Rights more popular. Some NGOs and the ombusoffices were involved in the Austrian Report of the National Coalititon for the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (see above).

All the ombudsoffices in Austria have a direct contact to children and young people, whether they come to the office personally, call, write letters or e-mails.

We give information and advice, we mediate between them and parents or other professionals. We try to represent their interests, to find amicable solutions. We help them so solve their problems (see case studies).

We try very hard to publicize the idea. We developed some plays and information materials for children and adults. We organized events for children together with NGOs. We tried to get the interest of the mass media.

We call for the establishment of the UN Convention in the federal and state constitutions. In 1998 the "Ludwig Boltzmann Institute" published a study on "the constitutional implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child" by order of the ombudsoffices and the Federal Ministry for Environment, Youth and Family. In January 1999 the Committee on the Rights of the Child discussed the Austrian state report with delegates of the Austrian government. In its Concluding Observations the Committee identified 25 areas of problems currently facing children and youth in Austria (see above). At the same time it appreciated the ongoing efforts to hold a parliamentary enquete about the question of implementing the principles of the Convention into the Austrian Constitutions. That’s the situation at the moment.

We organize and support several projects in schools. The aim is to train pupils to help each other to solve their conflicts without the interference of an adult person.

Concerning the legal proceedings their situation has improved.

In most states the victims have access to a lawyer free of charge, an initiative of the ombudsoffices.

The questioning in court now takes place in friendly, separate rooms and is recorded on video tapes. If it’s at all possible, the victims have to be questionated only once.

They have more possibilities to get a psychotherapy free of charge.

The 1997 „Law of Protection against Violence" is very helpful. Violent persons can be sent away from their appartments by the police for 10 days. Specialized institutions contact the victims and consult and help them in the meantime.

Many efforts have been taken to discuss the problem of violence and sexual abuse in society:

With governmental support many projects for children and their parents can be launched next year.

Several charge free regional and national helplines for children and youth working around the clock have been established.

The ombudsoffices, being situated in the state capitals, try to be more present in rural areas by offering office hours in branch offices or in cooperation with NGO offices.

We support activities of organisations like "YIC" where young people work for young people. In this case they try to help each other with their problems having been in residential or foster care.

Many sixteen/seventeen-years-old girls and boys ask us, what happens, if they move out of home against their parents‘ will and if they still get maintenance costs.

Many divorced parents complain about their difficulties defining custody and visiting rights.

Young people ask us, how they can manage to contact parents they „lost" many years ago because of separation and divorce.

Many young people have questions concerning their rights, for example how long they are allowed to go out, their age of sexual maturity, their right to get pocket money, their legal capacity and so on. Many need counceling concerning maintenance problems.

Some youngsters have been involved in a criminal act and need help with police and court proceedings.

Many victims of violence and sexual abuse contact us and need a lot of help and support.

Foreign boys and especially girls have problems feeling lost between two cultures and need support in mediation processes with their parents.

Some youngsters get involved in dealings with social welfare assistants, judges, school responsibles or other adults. They sometimes need us to represent their interests and needs.

More detailed papers on some of these issues available: