Why are we failing to address the problems in youth care?
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Youth care in the Netherlands needs to change. A new alarming inspection report says that children’s safety is not guaranteed. Mariëlle Bruning, Professor of Child Law, warns in an Argos podcast: ‘We have a duty to protect children.’
For six years now, various inspectorates have been sounding the alarm about unsafe situations in youth care in the Netherlands. The need for change was once again highlighted by a recent alarming report published by the inspectorates. 'I was shocked, again,' Mariëlle Bruning tells Argos. 'In the Netherlands, we have a duty to protect children if parents are unable to do so. We have juvenile courts who decide on this. So, it’s very odd that these court decisions are not implemented properly or in a way that can cause harm.'
The Youth Act was introduced ten years ago in the Netherlands, decentralising youth care responsibilities to municipalities. The intention was that by encouraging competition between the various youth care institutions, the care offered would become more efficient and cheaper. Municipalities would then purchase the care. However, the professor says that 'market forces have turned out to be a perverse incentive. There are now a total of more than 6,000 care providers. It is alarming to see that providers offering lighter forms of assistance are almost profitable and performing well, while organisations that provide the most intensive forms of support – to children in youth care – are experiencing severe financial difficulties.’
The organisational structure of the youth care system is also not helping the situation, says Bruning: 'Juvenile courts are saying that these young people and children need protection, but then municipalities also get involved to look at what help is needed. The result is that no one is really standing up for the protection of these children and measures taken by the juvenile court are often not implemented as intended.' The professor continues to advocate for youth protection: 'There are children in the Netherlands who are unable to stay at home. Whatever party the ministers in the new Dutch government come from, we’ve got to stand up for these children. The Netherlands has an extra responsibility in this area. The bottom line is that youth protection simply can’t fail.'
More information?
Listen to the full podcast on Argos radio (in Dutch)