• Victims of children's homes

    In July 2017, the AOB took on new responsibilities: an independent Pension Commission was set up to handle applications for pensions under the Pensions for Victims of Children’s Homes Act (Heimopferrentengesetz). The Pension Commission is responsible for individuals who suffered violence in Austria in a public children's home or a children's home of the catholic or protestant church, foster family, hospital, psychiatric institution or sanatorium as a child between 1945 and 1999 and who have not yet been designated as victims. The same applies to individuals who were victims of violence in Austria in a private facility, assuming that a referral was made by a child and youth welfare facility.

    The Pension Commission, chaired by Ombudsman Bernhard Achitz, consists of twelve experts from different disciplines. It assesses whether the prerequisites for granting a pension are met and submits appropriate proposals to the AOB. Clearing meetings are held beforehand between applicants and the team of experts, and extensive research is conducted to evaluate whether the claim is justified. Regular meetings are held by the Pension Commission to deal with the claims in detail and to assess whether the applicants’ descriptions of events are credible. The Pension Commission then submits a proposal to the AOB requesting a decision. Based on the proposals from the Pension Commission, the AOB issues a founded, written recommendation to the competent decision-maker about whether the respective applicant should be granted a pension for victims of children’s homes.

     

    For further information please contact:

    Austrian Ombudsman Board

    Office of the Pension Commission for victims of children's homes

    1015 Vienna, Singerstrasse 17, P.O. Box 20, AUSTRIA

    Free service number: +43 800 223 223 - 256 or 144

    Telephone number: +43 1 515 05 - 0

    Fax: +43 1 515 05 - 150 or 190

    E-Mail: hog@volksanwaltschaft.gv.at