STOISITS: FOLLOW UP: CROSS BORDER KINDERGARTEN

In April 2010 the “Bürgeranwalt” dealt with a father from Lower Austria who had to pay the kindergarten fees for his son even though the last year in kindergarten is supposed to be free of charge for all children visiting kindergarten in Lower Austria. For a reimbursement of costs his son would have had to switch to a kindergarten in Lower Austria.

There have also been other cases where parents from Lower Austria who work in Vienna and whose children visit kindergarten in Vienna have turned to the Ombudsman Board. They have to pay the fees for the final year at kindergarten in Vienna. On the other hand the City of Vienna pays for Viennese children visiting kindergarten in Lower Austria. Vienna and Lower Austria remain the only provinces who have not set up an agreement.

Currently after talks between the two provinces, in isolated reasoned cases the costs are reimbursed. However a general solution is still out of sight. "Lower Austria collects subsidies for every child and the families still have to pay for kindergarten", criticizes Ombudswoman Stoisits.

From Ombudswoman Terezija Stoisits' point of view still nothing has changed: refunds are granted exclusively in cases of hardship and a general solution is still out of sight. For these reasons the Ombudswoman announced during the broadcast, that she was planning to approach the Minister for Family Affairs, the Minister for Women, as well as the Chairman of the Conference of the Heads of Provincial Governments and once more demand a general solution.