The fact that the decentralization of youth care has not brought what the then governing parties VVD and PvdA hoped for in 2015 is now recognized by friend and foe alike. It did become more accessible at the municipalities, but it has gotten completely out of hand. 1 in 7 children now appeals to professional, subsidized help. 25 years ago it was still 1 in 27. Since 2015, expenditure has increased from 3.6 to 5.6 billion euros. The system is closing up.
At all levels, thought is now being given to yet another reorganization, but since it needs to be thought through better than the previous one, that process will take some time. On one front, however, this is unacceptable: in the case of youth protection, which looks after children and young people who, for whatever reason, are no longer safe at home and are placed under guardianship.
The first very alarming signs of crippling staff shortages, excessive bureaucracy and unacceptable waiting lists date from three years ago. This month it went code red when Leiden University determined that the government can no longer guarantee that the situation of children will actually improve once the government takes over supervision. This was followed by the Youth Inspectorate and the Justice and Security Inspectorate with the announcement that they no longer see any point in checking the quality of the institutions involved. In their view, this makes no sense as long as the government does not provide the minimum conditions to meet the quality requirements. ‘If it is not possible to protect children as a result of factors beyond the institutions’ control, we will no longer hold the institutions accountable or impose a measure.’
A firm response from responsible minister Weerwind (D66) was widely expected. After all, a government cannot intervene much more deeply in people’s lives than by evicting their children. And there are not many situations in which the political responsibility to get things right weighs so heavily. Unfortunately, by letter and in the ensuing parliamentary debate, the minister did not get much further than an exhaustive list of all the ‘improvement actions’, ‘sector plans’, ‘experiments’, ‘future scenarios’ and ‘reform agendas’ that have been running for some time, but that have prevented the acute crisis. could not have prevented.
Of course, it is a complex problem that will not be solved in a few months. But the sector in need needs perspective in the short term, if only to prevent even more aid workers from abandoning the sinking ship. Such as a decent national minimum rate that the aldermen must pay the institutions so that the quality of youth protection does not depend on the accidental financial situation of the municipality. Also obvious is a hard indication from The Hague that due to a lack of sufficient manpower for the time being the most vulnerable children, who have been placed under supervision or who are sitting next to it, must be able to count on the best possible help as a priority.
The House of Representatives gives Weerwind another six weeks. Within that period, he will have to show that he understands the urgency. Otherwise it will be code red for him this fall too.
The position of the newspaper is expressed in the Volkskrant Commentaar. It is created after a discussion between the commentators and the editor-in-chief.