Free access to medicines, poor living conditions and camera surveillance without a legal basis. The Health Care and Youth Inspectorate comes with strong criticism of the help of young people in Assen through the Forensic Center for Adolescents.
In March this year, the inspection service conducted unannounced research in three homes in Assen, with room for nine young people between the ages of 16 and 23. During the investigation there were seven boys aged 18 or 19. They were accompanied by a so -called residential team, consisting of five residential counselors, four night watchmen, a residential coordinator and a senior residential counselor.
According to the inspection service, there is a lot to criticize about the help of the young people. A total of nine parts were tested, six of them were below par. For example, the young people and their parents were not well involved in the treatment program. In addition, the medicine cabinet with opiates, among other things, was freely accessible and, according to the researchers, it was a mess in the houses (moisture spots on walls, here and there building material on the floor, electricity wires that stop from walls).
The garden was also strewn with butts. In addition, cameras have been hung without a legal basis and young people were performed against the rules in urine controls.
The inspection service also questions the financial state of affairs at the Forensic Center. This was reported to the regulator of the municipality of Assen. He looks at the use of care money and investigates any abuse thereof.
Although the inspection service encountered many things that need to be improved, according to the service there are also things that go well at the forensic center. In this way the youngsters are generally helped with their request for help. The center in Assen must now indicate which measures are being implemented to improve youth assistance.