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Dutch Child Judges Warn Care for Vulnerable Children Is Increasingly at Risk

Persistent staff and placement shortages are delaying help and leaving some court decisions unexecuted.

Overview

  • Children’s judges say shortages across youth care and protection mean protective measures and youth sentences cannot always be implemented.
  • They report youths being confined to their rooms for lack of supervision, some young adults placed in regular prisons, and youth TBS extended because no suitable follow‑up spots are available.
  • Regional complaints oversight has found certified institutions regularly disregard judges’ decisions and file incomplete or low‑quality case dossiers.
  • In a prominent case, the Arnhem‑Leeuwarden Court of Appeal concluded SAVE knowingly failed to carry out a contact order, and the minister affirmed that certified institutions must execute court rulings.
  • The SKJ imposed a one‑year conditional suspension on a SAVE youth professional, and the father in that case says he is preparing an application to the European Court of Human Rights.