Additional support for affected parents with children taken into care
Parents whose children were taken into care as a result of the childcare benefits scandal are to receive additional support in the form of an independent nationwide support team that will be available to them from 4 April. Affected parents and children who have (previously) been placed in care may register with this team directly. All of the above is outlined in a letter submitted to the House of Representatives by Franc Weerwind, the Minister for Legal Protection.
The team is independent and is there to support parents and children. It includes process facilitators who are there to offer a sympathetic ear to affected parents, as well as identify and visualise the particular situation these parents and children are in. Not every family will be the same and there will often be several issues at play, which is why tailored solutions are required. The family’s needs are taken into account in reviewing what can be done, with the safety and development of the child remaining at the forefront of any key decision. The process facilitator can then help provide further assistance for the parent(s) and child(ren) alongside any support workers who have already been working with the family. In this way, new insights can be gained and as yet unknown solutions and opportunities can be sought and developed to improve the family’s living conditions or the family situation.
The Minister recently spoke to affected parents.
‘Their stories about how the childcare benefits scandal contributed to the situation they ended up in with their families left a deep impression on me. I want to make things right for these parents and children. We owe them that.’
The Support Team is an instrument that is in addition to the assistance provided and available to parents under the childcare benefits scandal recovery strategy and additional efforts made by municipalities, the Youth Protection Service and the Child Care and Protection Board.
Free legal aid
Affected parents can already make use of free legal aid within the childcare benefit recovery strategy, however, this has now been supplemented with an option to receive the assistance of a specialist lawyer free of charge if they wish to contest the placement into care of their child(ren). A subsidy scheme will be established for that purpose in consultation with the Legal Aid Board and the Netherlands Bar (NOvA).
Independent review
The Inspectorate of Justice and Security is conducting a review of the youth protection chain in relation to childcare benefits in collaboration with the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate. The review is ongoing and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The Minister will be consulting with Parliament to ascertain whether an additional review is required, for example, by setting up a commission of inquiry.