Cost Subsidies for Preventive Assistance for Caregivers

The funding measure in Styria supports preventive assistance for (prospective) foster carers and adoptive applicants through financial grants for qualification measures and family pedagogical further training. The aim is to sustainably strengthen personal suitability as well as professional competence for the care of foster and adoptive children and thus ensure the quality of support services in the child and youth sector. Public institutions and non-profit organizations can submit applications continuously from 01.01.2026 to cover the costs of appropriate advanced and further training. Professional counseling within the preventive assistance is provided free of charge, while upon application a cost subsidy is granted for qualification measures for future foster carers as well as further training for family pedagogical foster carers. Funding for qualification measures for adoptive applicants is excluded, however.

A prerequisite for the grant is the application by the responsible child and youth welfare agency as well as the completion of the further training in a private child and youth welfare institution recognized in accordance with § 7 StKJHG in conjunction with Annex 1 of the StKJHG-DVO. The examination of the application documents is carried out to ensure compliance with legal requirements; there is no legal entitlement to funding. Only course fees for qualification and further training measures in the family pedagogical field are funded, but not additional incidental costs. The subsidy payment is made directly to the respective educational institution to ensure transparent processing and to prepare foster and adoptive families as best as possible for their responsible task.