FINANCING

Financing of Early Intervention
In most Austrian provinces, early intervention is a free service for parents; in some provinces, parents must pay a small fee (10 to 15 euros) per unit of care. All support services complying with the Youth Welfare Act depend on the family�s income situation; in most cases parents do not have to pay anything due to their financial situation.

Funding of Kindergarten
The funding of public kindergarten is left to the municipalities and provinces.

Funding of Special Needs Support in Kindergarten
Whether a child presents special educational needs (SEN) that justify the allocation of additional resources (extra care and/or support lessons) is decided differently and by different institutions in the Austrian provinces. In public kindergartens in Salzburg, for example, the social inclusion of children with disabilities has become legally binding since an amendment to the Kindergarten Act in 1996. Since the kindergarten year 2000/2001 about 2 percent of all kindergarten children have received additional staff resources in Salzburg.

Funding of Compulsory Schools
The construction and maintenance of schools belongs principally to the competence of the municipalities and, in some cases, of the provinces. Staff resources are deployed by the federal government, and are administered by the provincial governments.

Funding of Special Needs Support at Compulsory Schools
The federal government provides the provinces with funding for additional staff resources for special needs education (for 2.7 percent of all pupils aged between 6 and 15). The municipalities are responsible for additional equipment required for children and adolescents with special educational needs. Special measures, such as therapeutical support and devices, are funded by the provinces on the basis of the Provincial Disability Acts.

Financial Aid for Families with Children with Disabilities
Families with children with disabilities are supported through the following allowances, benefits and tax reliefs:
The increased family allowance and the nursing allowance depend on the child�s age and disability. Furthermore, a tax reduction is possible when there are extraordinary expenses (hospital costs, therapeutic care etc.) In addition, families with children with disabilities are granted an income tax allowance.
Financial aid for families also covers additional costs such as technical aids, therapy, early intervention, travel expenses, and additional costs for day care institutions. These costs are borne by the health authorities, disabled relief associations and insurance companies. Further financial support is provided, for example, in the form of fare reductions in public transport, or benefits for extraordinary expenses (rents, insurance, heating costs etc.). Since January 1, 2007 persons older than 18 have received a monthly social benefit pension in case they have no income of their own. The amount of this pension does not depend on their parents' income.
Source:
http://www.dielebenshilfe.at/Finanzielle-Hilfen.18.0.html