In Limburg, at least 20 children have still been removed from their homes after their parents became the victims of the allowance affair.
This is according to figures from the statistics office CBS. As a result of the allowance affair, a total of about 60 children in this province were placed out of their homes between 2015 and 2021. This means that more than half of the minor children are now living at home again.
Big consequences
Most children of victimized parents live in South Limburg. It concerns 870 of whom 40 were removed from their homes in six years. At the end of last year, 10 of these children were not home yet. In the municipalities of Roermond, Roerdalen and Echt-Susteren, 195 children had to deal with the allowance affair because their parents became the victims. This had major consequences for 10 children, because they were placed out of their homes. A number of children are now living at home again. An exact number is unknown.
Less than 10
In the municipalities of Weert, Nederweert, Leudal and Maasgouw, fewer than 10 children had to live elsewhere temporarily. This still applies to an unknown number of minors. A total of 135 children of victims from that region had to deal with the allowance affair. The same image can also be seen in North Limburg. There are 345 minor children of victimized parents living there. Fewer than 10 children have been removed from home in the past six years, down from less than 10 at the end of last year.
Out-of-home placements relationship
Whether the number of custodial placements in families affected by the allowance affair is now remarkably high compared to other families, statisticians cannot yet say. “The published figures do not provide any insight into a possible connection between the custodial placement and the allowance affair, Statistics Netherlands has not conducted any research into the causes of the custodial placement”, the CBS writes about this. The statistical office is, however, engaged in a study that should answer these questions.
Through the judge
The researchers also add a caveat to the figures, as the actual number of children placed out of home may be higher. The number that is known to Statistics Netherlands has been passed through the judge who pronounced the youth protection measure. For example, the children who were removed from their home without a formal decision were left out of the picture. It is also not known where the children went to live after the custodial placement.
Thousands of parents who received childcare benefits were wrongly suspected of fraud. They had to repay the money received and as a result had huge debts with the tax authorities. Another consequence was that children were placed out of their homes.