The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has released a report following its visit to Austria's residential care homes in March 2025. The delegation's findings were largely positive, with no allegations of ill-treatment and residents generally speaking highly of their care. The atmosphere in the facilities was described as relaxed and welcoming, with many of the homes providing good, or even very good, living conditions for residents.
The report commended the individualised approach to care, with particular attention given to residents' specific therapeutic and recreational needs. It also highlighted robust systems for ensuring the proportionality of any restrictions on freedom, noting that residents' representatives are involved in reviewing and challenging such measures. However, the CPT raised concerns about staffing shortages, recommending that Austria take further steps to ensure sufficient numbers of trained and qualified care professionals across all levels. Additionally, the report noted that some instances of pharmacological restrictions on residents were not consistently recorded or reported.
The CPT's visit covered four privately run care homes, two in Lower Austria and two in Styria, and provided a snapshot of current practices in residential care for vulnerable individuals. The Austrian authorities have provided a response to the CPT's findings, addressing the recommendations and observations made in the report.
