Serious allegations: SOS Children's Villages initiates comprehensive reforms!

Serious allegations: SOS Children's Villages initiates comprehensive reforms!

On September 27, 2025, Willibald Cernko, chairman of the supervisory board of SOS Children's Villages, admitted in a statement to serious errors in dealing with allegations of abuse. This review of the organization's past shortcomings comes after more and more reports of abuse at various locations in Carinthia, Tyrol and Salzburg came to light. Cernko said that from 2022 a “new time” should dawn for the organization and that in the future people with extensive knowledge of child protection and pedagogy will primarily sit on the supervisory board. One mistake that was acknowledged was the poor handling of previously reported attacks, which led to justified criticism of the organization.

The current allegations of abuse relate to serious incidents such as deprivation of food and violence by employees. It is also worrying that a carer is said to have had nude photos of children on his laptop. Cernko described the results of the internal studies as “no glory” and announced that a comprehensive catalog of measures would be developed to improve the situation. However, he acknowledged that communication about these measures was insufficient as the steps taken were not sufficiently publicized.

Convening a commission of inquiry

In response to the allegations, the organization set up an external investigative commission headed by Irmgard Griss. This commission will examine the structures of the entire organization to determine whether the improvement measures taken in the wake of the incidents are actually effective. Cernko emphasized that an internal evaluation is not enough and that transparency must be ensured. The commission's first meeting has been scheduled for this week and the work will be available for public viewing.

The commission consists of six members, including Griss and several board members, and aims to develop a comprehensive reform plan for the organization. In addition, Cernko did not rule out the possibility that there could be further suspected cases in other SOS Children's Villages facilities. The fact that the public prosecutor's office in Klagenfurt and Innsbruck is examining the allegations shows the urgency and seriousness of the issue.

Legal framework and prevention

In the context of the current allegations, it is important to also mention the nationwide measures to combat child sexual abuse. The law to improve the protection of children and young people, which was recently passed, provides for the introduction of an independent federal commissioner against sexual abuse. This is intended to publish regular reports on the status of sexual abuse and the current protective measures in cooperation with a council of those affected and an independent review commission.

The figures relating to sexual abuse of children, which were published in the 2023 police crime statistics, are particularly alarming: a total of 16,375 cases were registered, with children particularly affected often being under the age of six. Efficient protection concepts in child and youth welfare should help prevent such incidents in the future and offer those affected better options for dealing with them.

The challenges that SOS Children's Villages now faces are significant. Cernko assured that the organization is ready to face the challenges of recovery. Only when the results of the external evaluation are available will a comprehensive assessment of the situation be possible.

Further information on the abuse allegations and the ongoing investigations can be found in the reports from Dolomite town and Vienna.at to find. For a more comprehensive perspective on the nationwide measures, we refer to the information from Federal Government.