Facts & Figures 2024
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69 Social Counseling Centers in Austria
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52,000 Individuals were advised and/or supported in the Caritas Social Counseling Centers In total, we have reached 106,000 people living in the same households as those receiving advice
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72 Institutions for the Homeless with 2,642 beds offer a roof over their heads
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10 Mother and Child Shelters providing accommodation for 327 mothers and 441 children
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50 Family Counceling Centers in Austria
Being a Mother Should Not Mean Being Poor
The number of children and young people living in poverty has more than doubled since 2022. Retired women and single parents face similar vulnerability, with nearly half of all single-parent households (over 80 % female-led) at risk of poverty. Women continue to shoulder the majority of care work, which often forces them into part-time jobs - at the expense of decent wages and adequate pensions. Systemic gaps include insufficient childcare services, non-livable wages in female-dominated fields, and inflexible work arrangements that hinder work-life balance.
Eliminating this gendered form of poverty requires genuine equality - a goal we actively pursue through advocacy.
We call for the fair recognition and distribution of care work and for support for all children, regardless of their parents’ income. At the same time, we provide urgent assistance by offering single mothers safe refuge in mother and child shelters, ensuring access to affordable meals through food distribution programs, and supporting people through our counseling services.
Rebecca Finds New Stability at a Mother and Child Shelter
Suddenly alone with her child: Just before giving birth to her daughter, Rebecca lost everything: her partner, her home, and her sense of security. At the mother and child shelter, she found support, completed vocational training, and began rebuilding her life. Today, she and her daughter live in their own apartment.