Evaluation of the Child and Youth Welfare in Vorarlberg (Federal State of Austria)

The central objective of this study in the Federal State of Vorarlberg, was to examine the extent to which the law for child and youth welfare services, which was revised in 2013, is implemented together with the working principles laid down therein, e.g. participation of children, young people and families in the provision of services, cooperation with private child and youth welfare services on the basis of agreements. The objectives were reviewed on the basis of interviews with various professionals as well as parents and other persons entrusted with education.

Publication in German:

  • Evaluierung der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe in Vorarlberg
    Von: Olaf Kapella, Georg Wernhart, Helena Hornung (2023)
    Forschungsbericht Nr. 47 | Seiten 286
    Download (PDF): Forschungsbericht Nr. 47 | 11,74 MB

Risk Assessment from the Perspective of Young People

How do young people view their own opportunities for participation in the process of risk assessment by child and youth welfare services in Austria? To answer this question, this study used qualitative interviews to collect the views of nine young people on this process, on the actors involved and on their current situation. The results show a differentiated and reflected understanding of participation, which moves in the area of tension between autonomy and protection.

Publication in German:

  • Gefährdungsabkärung aus der Perspektive von Jugendlichen
    Von: Helena Hornung, Olaf Kapella (2022)
    Forschungsbericht Nr. 46 | Seiten 136
    Download  (PDF): Forschungsbericht Nr. 46 | 1,56 MB

Evaluation of the Federal Child and Youth Welfare Act (B-KJHG) 2013 in Austria

On 1 May 2013, the Federal Child and Youth Welfare Act 2013 (B-KJHG) came into force and replaced the Youth Welfare Act of 1989 that had been in force until then. One of the objectives of the reform was to improve the protection of children and adolescents against violence in the family and other dangers. Furthermore, the prevention of educational problems and the participation of parents, children and adolescents were to be strengthened and impulses for uniform standards in the field of child and youth welfare were to be given.

The Austrian Institute for Family Research at the University of Vienna (ÖIF) carried out the evaluation of the B-KJHG and collected different perspectives on the work of child and youth welfare on the basis of the B-KJHG. The respondents included social workers in charge of the case, professionals who are obliged to report if children and young people are under risk (e.g. psychologists, teachers, kindergarten teachers, doctors), adolescents in full education and parents who receive voluntary educational assistance from child and youth welfare services.

Within the framework of the evaluation, the following research reports and tables in German language volumes were prepared, available for download:

  • Evaluierung des Bundes-Kinder- und Jugendhilfegesetzes (B-KJHG) 2013
    Zusammenfassender Bericht aller Module und Beurteilung
    Von: Olaf Kapella, Christiane Rille-Pfeiffer, Eva-Maria Schmidt (2018)
    Forschungsbericht Nr. 29 | 134 Seiten
    Download (PDF): Forschungsbericht Nr. 29 | 2,39 MB
  • 2. Teilbericht der Evaluierung des Bundes-Kinder- und Jugendhilfegesetzes (B-KJHG)
    Endbericht der Module 4, 6 und 7
    Von: Olaf Kapella, Christiane Rille-Pfeiffer, Georg Wernhart, Andreas Baierl, Stefan Halbauer (2018)
    Forschungsbericht Nr. 28 | 149 Seiten
    Download (PDF): Forschungsbericht Nr. 28 | 6,56 MB
  • 1. Teilbericht der Evaluierung des Bundes-Kinder- und Jugendhilfegesetzes (B-KJHG)
    Endbericht der Module 2, 3 und 5
    Von: Olaf Kapella, Andreas Baierl, Christine Geserick, Markus Kaindl, Georg Wernhart (2018)
    Forschungsbericht Nr. 27 | 206 Seiten
    Download (PDF): Forschungsbericht Nr. 27 | 9,13 MB

 

Tabels for the first report (1. Teilbericht):