Focal point social issues Children are entitled to protection Children and young people should be entitled to protection and care, as well as the best possible physical, mental, emotional, social, and moral development opportunities. While Austria has ratified the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, this was not enshrined in the Austrian Constitution, with Parliament declaring a so-called reservation of implementation ("Erfüllungsvorbehalt") until the implementation of appropriate legislation. As such legislation has not been passed, this prevents direct legal applicability before courts and government authorities. Youth welfare There have been failures and omissions at all levels during the past decades, with children and youths suffering as a result: Youth welfare lacks quality guidelines that correspond to professional standards that are internationally undisputed. There is both a lack of funds and trained personnel to enable more active prevention of dangerous situations instead of merely reacting to crises. In Austria there are currently not even any guidelines that address the particularities in the assessment of children and youths who will be making statements in criminal court proceedings in cases where sexual abuse is suspected. Children While children and youths represent 19% of the population, the share of health care expenditure for them is only 7%. In comparisons prepared by the OECD and UNICEF, Austria is in the very last place of all EU states with regard to health data concerning children and youths. Additionally a clear alarm signal is the extremely high suicide rate among 15- to 19-year olds. Specific therapies for children with learning disabilities, psychological abnormalities, adjustment disorders, chronic illnesses or disabilities are very expensive and must be largely paid out-of-pocket by the families or paid in advance, even if they are reimbursed later on. Families cannot always afford that. Classification of care allowances for children is still not being done and health 16 It is a particular matter of interest for me, the ombudsperson responsible for social issues, to reposition the concerns within political discourse of those who depend on special help from the State, but who fail due to bureaucratic obstacles and formalisms. Numbered among these are people at risk of poverty, senior citizens, persons with immigrant background. Also the disabled and people needing constant care and their family members are concerned, for whom there are no central points of contact in the case of complex problem areas that cut across various areas of competence.