Vorarlberger Kinderdorf

Vorarlberger Kinderdorf is the largest child and youth welfare organisation in the Austrian federal state of Vorarlberg. It provides preventive, outpatient, semi-residential and residential services for roughly 3,000 children, young people and their families, delivered by more than 300 staff members. Its work is guided by the conviction that every crisis contains the chance for positive change and new perspectives. The organisation traces its origins to 1946, when the chaplain Hugo Kleinbrod began holiday camps for undernourished children in Vorsäß Schönenbach in Bezau in the Bregenzerwald, aiming to give them new strength and courage after the war years. In 1951 the association "Kinderdorf Vorarlberg" was founded, and in 1991 it was renamed "Vorarlberger Kinderdorf". Today it is structured as a non-profit, non-partisan and confessionally independent association together with a non-profit limited liability company (gemeinnützige GmbH). The association operates the Kinderdorf Kronhalde in Bregenz and the aftercare service for former residents; the other specialist areas form the non-profit GmbH, registered under company number FN 184033m at the court in Bregenz. The organisation's main client is the State of Vorarlberg and its child and youth welfare departments at the district authorities. Donations go directly to the association, which uses them for their designated purposes; the upkeep of Kinderdorf Kronhalde is financed by donations from the Vorarlberg population, while the other outpatient and residential areas charge for their services according to hourly and daily rates of the youth welfare offices. Since 12 May 2005 the organisation has held the Austrian Donation Seal of Approval (Österreichisches Spendengütesiegel). Its headquarters and administrative centre are located on the grounds of Kinderdorf Kronhalde in Bregenz. The organisation is divided into seven specialist areas: Familienimpulse, Netzwerk Familie, Familiendienst, Paedakoop, Pflegekinderhilfe, Auffanggruppe and Kinderdorf Kronhalde, plus the Ehemaligenbegleitung (aftercare). These cover prevention, family support, foster care, social-pedagogical school and boarding services, and residential care. Quality development and assurance follow a system based on the EFQM model, developed with the participation of all staff and continuously refined, with procedures and standards documented in a manual.

The origins of Vorarlberger Kinderdorf lie in the post-war years. In 1946 the chaplain Hugo Kleinbrod started a holiday programme for undernourished children at Vorsäß Schönenbach in Bezau in the Bregenzerwald, with the aim of giving them new strength and courage after the war. The first own hut, the so-called Schlafhaus, was financed and built in 1950 thanks to a card and building-block campaign; in the summer of 1950 alone the holiday programme cared for about 1,200 boys. In 1951 the association "Kinderdorf Vorarlberg" was founded. The "Alte Mühle" in Au-Rehmen was purchased to give children a home all year round. In 1952 the holiday programme was held for girls for the first time, in Dafins, and at the same time the "Alte Mühle" was converted into a holiday home. In 1955 the year-round Don Bosco home in Au-Rehmen was inaugurated. During the 1960s six family houses were built in Au-Rehmen and two family houses in Lustenau. From 1965 to 1967 a schoolhouse and a kindergarten were built at the Au-Rehmen site. On 30 June 1968 the Kinderdorf Au-Rehmen was officially opened, providing a home for 10 families and 85 children at the time. In 1975 the foundation stone was laid for the new Kinderdorf Kronhalde in Bregenz with eight family houses, which was inaugurated in 1977. The house for girls at the Lustenau site also opened in 1977. In 1985 the properties and buildings in Au-Rehmen and Lustenau were sold in order to build a community house, a multi-purpose hall and a new double residential building at the children's village in Bregenz, consolidating all children's village locations in Bregenz. In 1991 the organisation was renamed from "Kinderdorf Vorarlberg" to "Vorarlberger Kinderdorf". By 1995 about 50 children lived in nine families in the children's village in Bregenz, with about 15 young people in supervised residential facilities; around 150 families with 300 children received outpatient support, and the organisation had about 80 employees. In 1999 the Sozialpädagogisches Internat Jagdberg was taken over. In 2000 the organisation was divided into an association and a GmbH. In 2003 the Landessondererziehungsschule Jagdberg reopened under the sponsorship of the Werk der Frohbotschaft Batschuns, while Vorarlberger Kinderdorf remained responsible for organising the social-pedagogical school. In 2007 a major symposium on violence prevention was held on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Ambulant Familiendienst, in cooperation with IfS-Familienarbeit. In response to a case of child abuse, a child protection group was installed with a representative from each specialist area. In 2008 the boarding school and school at Jagdberg launched the so-called "Lebensweltorientierte Betreuung (LOB)" and an branch in Feldkirch. From 2009 a cooperation with the College for Social Pedagogy in Stams began, offering part-time training as a social pedagogue. In 2010 the social-pedagogical boarding school and school opened a second branch in Wolfurt. In 2011 an external residential group of the social-pedagogical boarding school opened in Feldkirch-Altenstatt for up to ten children with the option of individual care. In 2013 the Sozialpädagogisches Internat and Sozialpädagogische Schule were renamed Paedakoop, a fusion of the words pedagogy and cooperation, reflecting intensive cooperation between school and social pedagogy, parent counselling and therapy at the Schlins, Feldkirch and Wolfurt sites. In 2014, after the dissolution of SOS-Kinderdorf in Vorarlberg, one family and one residential group with a total of ten children moved into Kinderdorf Kronhalde in Bregenz. In 2015 a Paedakoop residential group opened in Feldkirch, and the Pflegekinderdienst sought sponsor families for unaccompanied minor refugees arriving in Vorarlberg for the first time. In 2024 the Auffanggruppe celebrated its 40th anniversary, the "Kids Buin" climbing tower opened in Wolfurt, and the Pflegekinderdienst was renamed Pflegekinderhilfe with expanded services. In 2025, amid abuse allegations surrounding SOS-Kinderdorf, Vorarlberger Kinderdorf addressed the public with an open letter to fight against being confused with that organisation; the preventive specialist area "Familienimpulse" turned 20; and the organisation launched the podcast "Traut euch Kinder!". A sixth free photovoltaic system was realised at Kinderdorf Kronhalde together with ORF Vorarlberg and technology partners.

• 2025

  Open letter against confusion with SOS-Kinderdorf; Familienimpulse turns 20; podcast "Traut euch Kinder!" launched.

• 2024

  Auffanggruppe celebrates 40th anniversary; "Kids Buin" climbing tower opens in Wolfurt; Pflegekinderdienst renamed Pflegekinderhilfe.

• 2014

  A family and a residential group from the dissolved SOS-Kinderdorf Vorarlberg move into Kinderdorf Kronhalde.

• 2013

  Sozialpädagogisches Internat and Schule renamed Paedakoop.

• 2005

  Awarded the Austrian Donation Seal of Approval (Österreichisches Spendengütesiegel) on 12 May.

• 2000

  Organisation divided into an association and a non-profit GmbH.

• 1999

  Sozialpädagogisches Internat Jagdberg taken over.

• 1991

  Renamed from "Kinderdorf Vorarlberg" to "Vorarlberger Kinderdorf".

• 1985

  Properties in Au-Rehmen and Lustenau sold; all locations consolidated in Bregenz.

• 1977

  Kinderdorf Kronhalde inaugurated; house for girls in Lustenau opens.

• 1975

  Foundation stone laid for the new Kinderdorf Kronhalde in Bregenz.

• 1968

  Kinderdorf Au-Rehmen officially opened, home to 10 families and 85 children.

• 1955

  Year-round Don Bosco home in Au-Rehmen inaugurated.

• 1952

  Holiday programme held for girls for the first time, in Dafins; "Alte Mühle" converted into a holiday home.

• 1951

  The association "Kinderdorf Vorarlberg" is founded.

• 1950

  First own hut, the Schlafhaus, is financed and built; about 1,200 boys are cared for in summer 1950.

• 1946

  Chaplain Hugo Kleinbrod starts holiday camps for undernourished children in Vorsäß Schönenbach in Bezau.

Non-profit, non-partisan and confessionally independent child and youth welfare provider; the largest such institution in Vorarlberg, funded by a mix of public fees and donations.

• Familienimpulse

  Preventive specialist area, 20 years old in 2025.

• Netzwerk Familie

  Support network for (expectant) parents and families.

• Familiendienst

  Outpatient family service; its 20th anniversary was marked in 2007.

• Paedakoop

  Social-pedagogical school and boarding services at Schlins, Feldkirch and Wolfurt.

• Pflegekinderhilfe

  Foster care service, renamed from Pflegekinderdienst in 2024.

• Auffanggruppe

  Crisis intake group for children and young people who cannot stay with their families; founded 1984.

• Kinderdorf Kronhalde

  Residential children's village in Bregenz, financed by donations.

• Ehemaligenbegleitung

  Aftercare for former residents, run by the association.

1. 1Willkommen beim Vorarlberger Kinderdorfvorarlberger-kinderdorf.at
2. 2Unsere Geschichte — Vorarlberger Kinderdorfvorarlberger-kinderdorf.at
3. 3Vom „Kinderdorf“ zum tragfähigen Netzwerk für Kinder und Familien — Vorarlberger Kinderdorfvorarlberger-kinderdorf.at
4. 4Qualitätsentwicklung und -sicherung — Vorarlberger Kinderdorfvorarlberger-kinderdorf.at
5. 5Vorarlberger Kinderdorf — Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Vorarlberger Kinderdorf — Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org