News item | 18-10-2023 | 13:30
The most vulnerable families and children can count on more time and attention from youth protectors in the future. To achieve this, the government and municipalities are structurally investing 60 million euros to reduce the number of clients per youth protector employed by the so-called Certified Institutions (GIs). This reduces the workload for youth protectors.
The authorities have made agreements on a national rate with which municipalities can achieve appropriate financing of the GIs. This is evident from a letter to the House of Representatives from Minister Franc Weerwind for Legal Protection and State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen for Public Health, Welfare and Sport. The Netherlands has 13 GIs who are involved in youth protection and youth probation.
“The national rate for youth protectors should give them breathing space in their work. Families and children should also notice this,” says Minister Franc Weerwind for Legal Protection. “We structurally reduce the number of children and families they assist per youth protector. This gives youth protectors more time, space and attention to help the most vulnerable children and families.”
Extension of side inflow scheme
To further reduce the pressure on youth protection, the successful subsidy scheme for lateral entrants will also be expanded by 10 million euros and extended until 2025. With this scheme, people who come from another job can be trained as youth protectors.