News item | 08-07-2022 | 15:45
State Secretary Van Ooijen (VWS) today presented a plan for drastic reforms in closed youth care. The current, large-scale locations will transform into small-scale, open spaces that are located in the middle of society. In addition, the cabinet wants to initiate the move to zero closed placements by 2030.
State Secretary Van Ooijen: `These drastic reforms are necessary to be able to offer the best, loving and humane care for young people. There is also a dilemma. In some cases, freedom-restricting measures are necessary. Examples are serious aggressive behavior or runaway behavior in the case of loverboy problems.
The plan is working on two tracks. The first track focuses on phasing out the large-scale facilities for closed youth care. These must be converted into small-scale facilities that also offer safety and protection. The second track is to work towards zero closed placements. By 2030, State Secretary Van Ooijen wants to be as close as possible to this goal. He wants to work on these two tracks together with experts by experience, professionals, municipalities, health care administrators and education.
In the field of freedom restriction, closed youth care institutions will work on the “no, unless principle” in the short term. That is, restriction of freedom is not allowed unless it is necessary and proportionate, and there is no less severe alternative.
Closed placements will decrease further every year, precisely because the focus is on small-scale organized facilities. And where registered, partly freedom-restricting measures in the youth’s own region. If it is nevertheless necessary to be placed out of the house, the young person therefore remains in their own region. The intention here is that the young people, as long as they cannot live at home, remain in a fixed place and are not transferred each time. This will provide stability and allow them to develop better. Efforts are also being made to improve the quality of care and education for young people.
The House of Representatives will be kept informed every six months in the youth progress letter about the progress of the plans.