Digitale Routenoptimierung in der sozialpädagogischen Betreuung Effizienz: Akzeptanz und Transformation im Spannungsfeld

Abstract

In mobile social pedagogical care, the effective use of resources is crucial for financial success. Route planning for staff poses significant challenges in this field. Inefficiently planned routes result in many services not being billable. This primarily puts a strain on the organizations operating in this area and ultimately affects the staff, who are subjected to increased pressure as a result. The situation is further complicated by the fact that driven kilometers are reimbursed differently depending on the federal state. Various regulations apply to onward billing to the respective commissioning bodies, which often leads to uncertainty and additional administrative work in practice. This inconsistency is due to the federal structure of child and youth welfare in Austria, which was established in 2013 when responsibility shifted from the federal to the state level. Each federal state sets its own rules regarding billing, funding, and organizational structures. As a result, there are significant differences in the framework conditions for educational support (UdE) between Upper Austria and Lower Austria. The use of modern technologies tailored specifically to this context for digital route planning could offer a potential solution to this challenge. This thesis therefore investigates the extent to which technology-based applications can contribute to increased efficiency and what impact their implementation has in this field. Three core areas are addressed in this thesis. The first part presents theoretical foundations on the topics of mobile social pedagogical care, route optimization, and possible technological approaches. A comparison is made between the federal states of Lower Austria and Upper Austria to identify regional differences in practice. In addition, the current state of research is reviewed and analyzed to highlight existing approaches and their limitations. The empirical part of this thesis is based on a qualitative survey conducted through expert interviews with professionals and managers in the field of child and youth welfare. The aim is to gain insights into potential efficiency gains, possible relief for staff, and economic effects of digital tools. It also becomes clear that sustainable implementation requires not only technical and organizational conditions, but also ethical considerations, data protection requirements, and accompanying change processes. This thesis aims to show that digital transformation is increasingly present in social institutions but often takes place without a clear strategic direction. The statements of the interviewed professionals and managers illustrate that more than just technical solutions are needed; reliable framework conditions that provide orientation and allow for active participation are equally important. In particular leadership emphasizes the importance of an open attitude toward change in order to involve staff and prevent overload. The findings demonstrate that the use of digital tools in mobile social pedagogical care goes far beyond technical aspects. At its core, it is a complex transformation process that can only succeed if structures, attitudes, and workplace cultures are actively shaped and developed. Keywords: Child and Youth Welfare, Mobile Socio-Pedagogical Care, Route Planning, Digitalization, Efficiency Improvement, Change Management, Data Protection

Date of Award	2025
Original language	German (Austria)
Supervisor	Andreas Mladenow (Supervisor)