separated children in Austria Lisa Wolfsegger asylkoordination sterreich

separated children in Austria Lisa Wolfsegger asylkoordination österreich 1

asylum applications (AT) 2012 – 17. 413 applications – 1. 781 = 10, 23 % SC 2013 – 17. 503 applications – 1. 187 = 6, 78 % SC 2014 – 28. 027 applications – 2. 260 = 8 % SC 2015 - 88. 151 applications – 9. 331 = 10, 59 % SC 2016 – until October – 37. 256 applications (4. 076 = 10, 94 % SC) 2

SC-asylum applications 2015 SC-asylum applications 10/2016 3

SC-countries of origin 2015 2016 – until October citizenship <14 14 -18 Afghanistan 385 5. 291 5. 676 Syria 166 963 1. 128 Somalia 56 363 419 Iraq 56 303 359 Pakistan 6 282 288 Somalia 3 216 219 Nigeria - 203 Nigeria - 208 Syria 19 99 118 Pakistan 2 184 186 Morocco - 91 91 Algeria 1 103 104 Algeria - 88 88 26 82 108 Iraq 21 55 76 stateless total citizenship <14 14 -18 total Afghanistan 275 2. 236 2. 511 4

accommodation state province initial reception and approval procedure Asylum procedure after approval procedure 70 -150 SC / camp in 9 camps (600 SC) smaller groups (8 -40 SC) in ~ 130 camps 1: 15 care = 1 care worker for 15 kids per week 2. 5 h per child/week (security in the night) 1: 10 care = 1 care worker for 10 24/7 kids per week 15 -20 h per child/week (24 h care) Residence up to 6 month – no guardians, no Residence during the procedure, guardians decisions and no appropriate education available, education possible Age assessment - 3 categories for care - Living unit, 1: 10 care, maximum rate 95 € / day (4. 000 SC) - Residential home, 1: 15 care, maximum rate 63, 5 € / day (700 SC) - Assisted living, 1: 20 care maximum rate 40, 5 € / day (100 SC) compare: other out-of-home children in Austria: max. 8 per unit, day rate between 120 - 500€ 5

Good practices • Child welfare assumes full responsibility for < 14 (higher rates, smaller units, …) • 1 living unit (6 SC) offers psychological care (TG Penzing) – 230 € / day • Some provinces have SC focus groups at the BFA (authority which decides) • Guardian standards are different in each province – especially in western provinces (Tyrol, Vorarlberg) guardiance works well – including follow up care • Foster care is established in nearly all provinces – ~ 150 cp in are in foster care. (good practice in Vienna – KUI) • Legal representatives prepare and accompany asylum investigations • System for ‚godparents‘ in every province (organized by NGOs) 6

Main challenges • Age assessment: too early, made within minority age, takes month until the result, high risks, high costs (~ 2. 000 in 2015) • Unequal treatment asylum seeking SC and Austrian children • Differences in care (organised by the province) • Lacking offers for psychological therapy (~20 % need therapy) • Family reunification: long duration, 3 years waiting period with subsidiary protection, minority at point of decision, financial difficulties ~ 10 % of all SC • No guardianship during approval procedure (legal counselling is offered) • Education: hard to find schools for those over 15 • Immense problems when SC turn 18 7

Thank you for your attention 8