Staff shortages causing failures at Dutch youth protection agencies
In the media image: Jeff Hendricks on Unsplash
Children are not always immediately helped due to staff shortages. For years, youth protection agencies have used an emergency protocol. Mariëlle Bruning, Professor of Children and the Law in ‘Trouw’: ‘It’s shocking that an emergency protocol has been used for three years.’
As a result of staff shortages, six of the Netherlands’ thirteen youth protection agencies are failing to meet legal requirements. This appears from an investigation carried out by Dutch newspaper Trouw. Many children are not assigned a dedicated youth counsellor within five days which is the statutory period. If no one is available, the agencies have to assess whether there is ‘direct danger’ for the child. If that is the case, a temporary emergency solution is arranged. In all other cases, the child is placed on a waiting list. In the worst cases, children sometimes have to wait months before they can be helped.
Youth protection agencies, in principle, do not want to make a distinction between children, but persistent staff shortages have forced them to do so. As a result, a temporary selection procedure was set up in 2022. According to the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate, since then certain agencies have constantly used this emergency procedure. ‘An emergency protocol has been used for almost three years. I find that shocking’, says Professor Bruning. ‘You see the Inspectorate doubting its own role. Are they maintaining a system they don’t support? And what does that say about your role as a supervisory authority if you allow this emergency policy to go on for three years?’
More information?
Read the two articles in Trouw (€, in Dutch):