as school and occupational integration. If physical fear and overwhelm and/or sick days increase on the part of staff, while at the same time “bosses” among the adolescents secretly rule and manage entire groups or the facility itself, escalation is on the agenda. The first measure was to freeze acceptance of new residents, which decreased the number of minors under care. By overhauling all duty rosters and group compositions, resources were optimised and work conditions improved. Sick leave decreased (comparison to 2013: 1,056 sick days, 1–7/2014: 214 sick days), thus increasing the staff presence. The continuing education offerings (violence prevention according to PART, “New Authority”, various forms of coaching) utilised by all staff members have proven successful. This has an overall stabilising effect, because any impending escalations are countered earlier and more as a united front so that generally police intervention is no longer necessary when there are physical clashes. In the course of 2014, teams were formed among the children and a youth café was installed; since September 2014, there has been a house parliament. Holiday and recreational activities were expanded in coordination with the children and adolescents. House rules are also considered together with the children and juveniles and are jointly formulated. Measures were taken The majority of the interviewed social pedagogues unambiguously stated to technical supervision that they wanted the facility to be divided up into smaller socio-pedagogical or socio-therapeutic living units. The reason indicated for this wish was that it is possible to address the needs of the minors more individually in smaller units, thus enabling better prospects for the lives of the minors and improving chances of a return to their families of origin (quote by an affected minor: “We no longer want to live in a facility that looks like a Tax Office from the 19th century”.) At the same time, the necessity for an expansion of the currently sparse opportunities for continuing education in the area of trauma pedagogy was emphasised, because it is necessary to support children and adolescents, a high percentage of whom suffer from traumatic disorders. Best possible support remains a priority The regional government has reported that decentralisation of the youth home has begun and the first external shared accommodations have been created in surrounding cities. The NPM welcomes these changes. “Hiving off” has begun In Lower Austria, there are currently nine regional youth homes and 47 private contract facilities for children and adolescents. Additionally, there are 50 temporary places in six centres for crisis intervention, where minors can stay until a crisis diagnosis has been completed. Around 1,200 children and juveniles are under full residential care in institutions and facilities. 65