5.3 out of 10
Legal capacity can be partially removed, but people with intellectual disabilities have the right to vote and elections are accessible.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live in smaller institutions, but some still live in larger institutions. There is currently no plan to close them.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their family and there is little support. Almost no one lives in their own place.
More than half of the children with intellectual disabilities go to mainstream schools, but still many go to special schools.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market and they risk to lose their disability benefits when they earn their own salary.
People with intellectual disabilities have access to general healthcare. Only a few of them have access to women's health.
People with intellectual disabilities are well represented within the national disability organisation. Lebenshilfe Osterreich receives government funding for their advocacy work.
Austria European average
It was also mentioned by the Austrian DPOs during the current UN CRPD state review that Austria is still lacking a deinstitutionalisation plan.
The transition processes from living in large housing associations to small residential units in the centre of the community must be designed very carefully for people with disabilities. Public funding must enable self-determined living in the community.
| Mainstream education | 14,725 |
|---|---|
| Special education | 12,394 |
| No education | 0 |
| Larger institutions | 4,000 |
| Smaller institutions | 20,000 |
| Small care homes | * |
| Psychiatric hospitals | 0 |
* Institution figures: These are rough estimations.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.
5.3 out of 10
People with intellectual disabilities should have support to make decisions and keep legal capacity, but it can be removed. People with intellectual disabilities have the right to vote and stand for elections, measures are in place to make elections accessible.
Some adults with intellectual disabilities live in smaller institutions and small care homes, few still live in larger institutions. There is no plan to close institutions.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their family and there is little support. After parents can no longer look after their child, it is likely they will move into an institution.
More than half of children with intellectual disabilities go to mainstream schools, but still, many go to special schools.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market. People risk losing their disability benefits when they have a paid job.
People with intellectual disabilities have access to healthcare. Only few have access to women’s health. People with intellectual disabilities cannot be forcibly sterilised.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented within the national cross-disability organisation, there is a person with an intellectual disability on the board/council. Lebenshilfe Österreich receives government funding for advocacy work.
Austria European average
Lebenshilfe Österreich demands that institutions that care for people with disabilities introduce mandatory concepts for sex education. These concepts are intended to inform people with disabilities about their rights and thus enable them to protect themselves from violence. Employees must be trained regularly to recognise and prevent violence.
| Mainstream education | 14,725 |
|---|---|
| Special education | 12,394 |
| No education | 0 |
| Larger institutions | 4,000 |
| Smaller institutions | 20,000 |
| Small care homes | * |
| Psychiatric hospitals | 0 |
Austria’s scores are based on 2023 data, as there was no reported change in the country.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.
5.3 out of 10
Legal capacity can be partially removed. People with intellectual disabilities have the right to vote and stand for elections. Measures are in place to make elections accessible.
Some adults with intellectual disabilities live in large institutions and many live in small care homes. There is no plan to close institutions.
Many adults with intellectual disabilities live with their family and there is little support. Some live in their own place. After parents can no longer provide support, the person with an intellectual disability likely moves to an institution.
Many children with intellectual disabilities go to mainstream schools, and many go to special schools.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market. People risk losing their disability benefits when they have a paid job.
Most people with intellectual disabilities have access to general healthcare. Some have access to women’s health. People with intellectual disabilities cannot be forcibly sterilised.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented within the national cross-disability organisation, and there is a person with an intellectual disability on the board/council. Lebenshilfe Österreich receives government funding for advocacy work.
Austria European average
We are observing the current developments in Upper Austria with great concern: two new special schools are to be built in Perg and in the south of Linz. Millions are being invested in a system that, in the view of Lebenshilfe Austria, is not sustainable and contradicts human rights obligations.
Austria does not need new special schools – Austria needs strong inclusive schools that support children with and without disabilities together.
| Mainstream education | 14,725 |
|---|---|
| Special education | 12,394 |
| No education | * |
| Larger institutions | 4,000 |
| Smaller institutions | 20,000 |
| Small care homes | * |
| Psychiatric hospitals | * |
*Data is taken from 2023 as we did not receive new data in 2024 or 2025.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.