Child and youth welfare facilities Animal-assisted pedagogy facilitates relationship building Commission 6 drew particular attention to a facility with animal-assisted pedagogy in Lower Austria. Animal-assisted therapy enables the children and adolescents to open up to the pedagogues quicker; the animals make relationship building easier, difficult topics can be worked through better. Each child has a foster animal which enables them to learn to take on responsibility quickly. The facility also stands out due to its family-like atmosphere. Exemplary participation The participation of the children and adolescents also functions very well in the shared accommodation: team meetings are held every week at which the adolescents take the minutes themselves and confirm the same with their signature. Above all, Commission 6 was struck by the warm-hearted manner in which the care staff and the management treated the children and adolescents during the visit; another positive aspect was the low amount of medication. The children reported vividly that they are happy in the facility. 87