News item | 04-04-2023 | 5:59 pm
A temporary law should provide better insight into which parents who were affected by the childcare allowance affair have had to deal with their child’s custodial placement. A majority of the House of Representatives has approved a proposal on this from Minister Franc Weerwind for Legal Protection. If there is a better view of these victims, they can be approached specifically for help and free legal assistance from a lawyer.
The law must clarify who the affected parents are. This way they can be served as well as possible and receive help. For example, practical support can come from the support team.
“That team was set up exactly a year ago to help benefit parents of children placed in care. Professionals who listen to the suffering and make a plan to improve the situation at home. I sincerely hope that with the temporary law we will reach more affected parents and their children to help them further,” says Weerwind.
Exchange of information
The Ministry of Finance’s Implementing Organization for Recovery of Allowances now has data on parents and their children who have been affected. The temporary law links this information with data from the Child Care and Protection Board and the judiciary on children placed in care. This provides insight into the size of the group of victims who have (had) to deal with an custodial placement. Parents can be notified of what help is available for them. If parents or children do not want their data used, they can simply have their data deleted. If the Senate also agrees quickly, the data can be linked before the summer.
The law came about after a commitment to the House of Representatives in May last year and will expire in January 2025. If more time is needed to gain insight from the group of victims, the temporary law can be extended. The minister has announced that he will inform the House of Representatives about this by then.
Hamer Commission
The information about victims is also shared with the independent investigation committee chaired by politician and government commissioner Mariëtte Hamer. This committee will investigate the connection between the childcare allowance affair and out-of-home placements and the role of the government in this. The committee will ask permission from the parents involved to use their data for the research.