For the first time, the Flemish Community has been condemned for its failing youth policy. This was reported by ‘Het Nieuwsblad’ today. The Brussels court of first instance ruled in favor of a Flemish parent couple of a minor son with a serious emotional disorder who was not given a proper place last Monday.
Remi Lehmann
Journalist at HLN
Source: Belga
The parents’ four applications for accelerated admission to a Multifunctional Center (MFC), “the suitable place for our son”, were rejected each time. “Essentially, help was refused due to a lack of staff and a lack of shelters,” said their lawyer Stijn Verbist. The minor later unintentionally ended up in juvenile detention and even before the juvenile judge.
In desperation, the parents summoned the Flemish Community. “It was never about compensation, we are not interested in that, but about the simple recognition that the entire system is failing,” says the mother. “We did this for our son, but actually for every vulnerable child.”
“This is a groundbreaking precedent. It has been ruled that the Flemish Community has not behaved as a careful government,” says lawyer Verbist. “By maintaining the systemic crisis in youth care and by not taking adequate measures in a timely manner to resolve this crisis.”
