News item | 11-12-2023 | 9:00 am
State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen (VWS), partly on behalf of the VNG and Youth Care Netherlands, has appointed former councilor Leon Meijer as the administrative driver for the transformation of Youth Care+ and residential youth care. This also marks the next step in the national direction for the dismantling and conversion of closed youth care locations. We strive for children to grow up at home as much as possible. Closed youth care is being phased out, instead more and more children are receiving youth care in small-scale residential facilities or outpatient (specialist) youth care. This is an important task from the Reform Agenda. As a driving force, Meijer gives substance to the need for strong national control over this movement.
Meijer previously served as alderman in the municipality of Ede for 9.5 years, with the portfolios of Youth Care, Education, Finance, Housing and Food Policy, among others. In recent years, he has been closely involved in drawing up the Youth Reform Agenda from the VNG. It starts on December 11, 2023.
Appropriate and close help for the most vulnerable children
In his new position, Meijer will give extra impetus to the completion and conversion of residential youth care. It is important to ensure that there is a nationwide healthcare offering. To strengthen national management, Meijer maps out what the parties involved need, for example when it comes to legislation, financing and support. He will also work with municipalities and providers in the region to realize the completion and conversion in the region.
Connecting between parties involved
As a driving force, Meijer is a connecting factor between all parties involved in the region and at national level. He will work with municipalities and youth care providers to ensure that these parties are sufficiently able to phase out residential youth care and build suitable alternatives. This should lead to a nationwide care offering in which the most vulnerable children receive appropriate assistance as close as possible.