Pain of separation: mother in prison, son crying for her!

Pain of separation: mother in prison, son crying for her!

A seven-year-old boy, whose mother was a former member of the terrorist organization “Islamic State” (IS), is currently making headlines in Austria. According to information from kleinezeitung.at Evelyn T., the 26-year-old mother, was arrested at Vienna-Schwechat Airport. She is currently in custody, which lasts until March 17th. The Vienna public prosecutor's office is investigating her for terrorism and membership in a criminal organization. Evelyn T. joined IS in 2016, lived under catastrophic conditions in a Syrian camp and gave birth to her son there.

The little boy, who speaks Arabic and was separated from his mother when he arrived in Austria, suffers emotionally from the situation. Loud profil.at After the separation, he was taken to an institution where he now receives psychological support and has contact with other children. The first medical examinations have already been carried out and the authorities are examining the conditions under which the boy will grow up in the long term. His grandmother has expressed interest in taking him in. The charity approach is examined in detail, particularly in light of the impact that life in the Syrian camp had on the boy. While there is no evidence of radicalization so far, the question remains how deep the psychological scars from the last few years might be.

The case highlights the challenges that children from problematic backgrounds face in Austria. This is also clear in other reports about children like Florian, a ten-year-old boy whose previous school experiences were characterized by violence and a lack of skills. Teachers in Viennese schools are often faced with the difficult task of providing help, while at the same time system bottlenecks in youth welfare hinder the efficient support of the children affected. For teacher Petra Bauer, who repeatedly reported threats, many of the youth welfare office doors remained closed. The lack of resources and pressure on teachers is alarming and exceeds basic standards in childcare.