Child & youth welfare

No one in the state of Salzburg hears the outcry

State Councillor for Social Affairs Pewny (FPÖ).(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

The Salzburg state government wants to wait and see when it comes to child and youth welfare. An organizational analysis by a management consultant should be ready by the end of February. In the meantime, a year has passed without any improvements being made.

Salzburg's child and youth welfare services have been complaining about staff shortages for some time. As reported, there have already been complaints of overload from youth welfare offices to the state. Specifically, the complaints come from the district authorities for Pongau and Pinzgau. According to the letter, there is an overload of work for employees, which is endangering the fulfillment of statutory duties.

Several members of the state's Child and Youth Welfare Advisory Board, including the Child and Youth Advocacy Office, are calling for an early meeting of the board due to staff shortages and cutbacks in assistance for children and young people. In a letter to Provincial Councillor for Social Affairs Christian Pewny (FPÖ), they demand the "immediate convening" of the committee. The state government has been aware of the staffing problems for some time. Last April, the advisory board decided that the state should report on planned steps to relieve staff.

The fulfillment of statutory tasks is at risk.(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

Politicians await analysis from consultancy firm
However, according to the response to a parliamentary inquiry by the Greens, the decision was not even forwarded to the responsible body. "Now it's official that nothing at all has happened for almost a year," criticizes Green MP Simon Heilig-Hofbauer.

The state government is clearly at a loss. Neither Pewny's office, nor the personnel department of state councillor Josef Schwaiger, nor the head of the state government Wilfried Haslauer (both ÖVP) have any ideas to tackle the personnel problems. They all want to wait for an organizational analysis by management consultants KPMG. This should be ready by the end of February. Then there will be an online meeting and later a real meeting of the advisory board.