Professional Qualifications – recognition for using the professional title of socio-educational care worker for child and youth assistance

People may only use the professional title of “Sozialpädagogische(r) FachbetreuerIn in der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe“ [Socio-Pedagogical Care Worker in Child and Youth Assistance] in Upper Austria, if the training completed by the applicant abroad is recognised by the state government of Upper Austria.

People are only allowed to use the professional title of “Socio-pedagogical care worker for child and youth assistance” if the training completed abroad is equivalent, in terms of contents and scope, to the training under the Oö. Sozialberufegesetz [Upper Austrian Act on Social Professions].

Persons who completed a professional training under the Upper Austrian Act on Social Professions or who completed a training in Austria or abroad which is equivalent according to this state law or which was recognised as being equivalent are entitled to exercise this profession and to use the relevant professional title, insofar as they

1. have the personal fitness required for performing the profession, also in terms of health and are trustworthy; and
2. master the German language to a degree required for exercising the profession.

Persons are not considered to be trustworthy if they

• were sentenced to a monetary fine or imprisonment by a legally binding judgement due to an act punishable before a court which is directly associated with the social care and which they committed at least by gross negligence, for as long as the sentence has not been abrogated;
• were sentenced to imprisonment of more than one year by a legally binding judgement due to one or several acts which are punishable before a court and which they committed by intent, for as long as the sentence has not been abrogated and if, based on the type of the punishable act and the personality of the convict, it is to be feared that the same or a similar punishable act could be committed during the exercise of the profession; or
• it must be assumed based on certain facts that they endanger the well-being of the persons they care for due to their disposition, in particular due to a conduct contrary to social principles.

The authority shall confirm the receipt of documents to the applicant within one month after submission of the application and shall inform them which documents might be missing.

The authority shall take a decision regarding applications for recognition of professional training and qualifications within four months after the submission of complete applications.

Amt der Oö. Landesregierung
[Office of the State Government of Upper Austria]
Direktion Soziales und Gesundheit
[Directorate of Health and Social Affairs]
Abteilung Kinder- und Jugendhilfe
[Department of Child and Youth Assistance]

Bahnhofplatz 1, 4021 Linz
Phone: (+43 732) 77 20-152 01
Fax: (+43 732) 77 20-21 56 19
Email: kjh.post@ooe.gv.at

The authority shall take a decision regarding applications for recognition of professional training and qualifications within four months after the submission of complete applications. The preconditions set forth in Sec. 4 of the Oö. Sozialberufegesetz [Upper Austrian Act on Social Professions] shall be met (see preconditions).

No electronic or personal signature is required under the application.

Please contact us in advance to clarify which documents are necessary in your special case. Required documents are usually:

• proof of nationality;
• copy of the certificates of competency or training and, if required, a certificate on the professional experience gained;
• criminal record certificate and criminal record certificate titled “Kinder- und Jugendfürsorge” [care for children and young people] (which must not be older than 3 months);
• medical certificate on the personal fitness, also in terms of health.

No information available.

State administrative charge pursuant to the Oö. Landesverwaltungs-Abgabenverordnung 2011 [Upper Austrian Ordinance on Administrative Charges of 2011]

For awarding the authorisation: EUR 14;

Fees according to the Gebührengesetz 1957 [Austrian Fee Act of 1957]:

• For filing the application: EUR 47.30;
• For the annexes to be attached to the application: EUR 3.90;
• Per sheet*, however a maximum of EUR 21.80 per annex.;
• For granting the approval: EUR 83.60;

*Sheet means paper whose dimensions do not exceed twice 210 mm x 297 mm in one or both directions. Charges in the double amount shall be paid for paper exceeding these dimensions.

Under certain preconditions, it is also possible to work as a socio-pedagogical care worker in facilities or offers of the Upper Austrian child and youth assistance, without performing the recognition procedure.

A complaint can be filed against notifications issued by the Upper Austrian state government before the Landesverwaltungsgericht Oberösterreich [Administrative Court of Upper Austria]. The complaint shall state the appealed notification and the authority which issued it. It shall state a request and the reasons on which the alleged unlawfulness is based. The complaint shall be filed within four weeks after receipt of the notification, in writing, with the competent Bezirksverwaltungsbehörde [District Administration Authority] and shall contain information allowing for an assessment of its timeliness. The complaint can be filed electronically. You have the right to request an oral hearing in the proceedings before the Administrative Court of the state of Upper Austria.

• Oö. Sozialberufegesetz
  [Act on Social Professions]
• Oö. Berufsqualifikationen-Anerkennungsgesetz
  [Upper Austrian Act on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications] (Oö. BAG)
• Allgemeines Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz 1991
  [General Administrative Procedure Act of 1991]
• Gebührengesetz 1957 [Fee Act of 1957]
• Oö. Landesverwaltungsabgabengesetz 2011
  [Upper Austrian Act on Administrative Charges of 2011]

EAP - Point of Single Contact Upper Austria
eap@ooe.gv.at

No form required.

Personal data will be processed in order to handle your request or to perform the procedure. For information on data processing and your rights as data subject, please visit: https://www.land-oberoesterreich.gv.at/datenschutz.htm.

Child and youth assistance will process any personal data on the basis of legal provisions which comprises the handling, documentation and settling of services in the legally prescribed fields by observing the duty of secrecy and data protection.

For more information pursuant to Articles 13 et seq. of the GDPR, please visit https://www.kinder-jugendhilfe-ooe.at/144.htm.

Responsible for the content: Abteilung Kinder- und Jugendhilfe
Last update: 01.02.2021