Youth care expert: “Our society should be more relaxed and inclusive”
Starting in 2015, many innovations were introduced in youth care, but at the same time many cuts were made. That is where many problems in the sector began, such as the long waiting lists, observes Leonieke Boendermaker, who has been extraordinary professor of youth care and implementation for just under two years. “Good youth care requires money.”
In recent years, youth care has often been in the news negatively because of large shortages of money and personnel. The result: interminable waiting lists where those seeking help are left standing. In early April, the cabinet found that too many young people were receiving psychological help. State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen (Public Health, Welfare and Sport) said last month that the “limitless growth” in the number of young people applying for youth care could no longer be organized and paid for, and that “above all, we should no longer want it.”
Further major cuts were planned in the coming years on top of already existing problems. These will be partially reversed, following long negotiations between the municipalities and the cabinet. Specifically, in 2024 and 2025, a total of €385 million more remains available for youth care than first intended.
“The municipalities still think this is too little,” observes Leonieke Boendermaker. She was appointed extraordinary professor at the UvA in 2021 to the chair of youth care and implementation. “There are many innovations in youth care, for example in treatment methods that often change. But staff often do not have the opportunity to master those new methods properly. That affects the effectiveness of care. Only implementation is only one part of the problem facing youth care.”
Can you give us a brief summary of recent years: what else is going on in youth care?
“Before 2015 there was the Youth Care Act, since 2015 there is the Youth Act. The municipalities became responsible for care from then on, instead of the provincial government. In addition, the new Youth Act also covered youth mental health care, and help for people with mild intellectual disabilities. This was a logical choice - before 2015, those seeking help often felt they were being giving the runaround. Often there are problems in multiple areas and integrated help is needed. Because of that merger, the demand on youth care increased. Only the budget didn't fit that. It was too small.”
Why didn't the budget get bigger?
“Before 2015, there were hardly any options for people with minor problems because the help was very specialized. That had to change - help had to become more accessible. If you have questions about parenting, you should be able to ask them close to home, the government thought. In addition, the policy focused more on preventive help. Neighborhood teams were supposed to look for people with minor problems to help them before they needed complex help. The legislature hoped that care would cost less money this way, because less specialized help would be needed. The help that was already there remained. Since the legislature thought the policy of providing more preventive help would cost less money right away, cuts were made.”
“What was not factored in is that renewal also costs money, and change takes time. And because help became more accessible, more people turned to youth care. Thus began the many problems in youth care.”
How much more does youth care cost now, compared to what was expected?
“It now costs 50 percent more than the legislature anticipated in 2015.”
And on top of that, proportionally more children and young people are using youth care, which Van Ooijen also stated in early April.
“True. First it was 1 in 27 young people. Now it's about 1 in 7.”
How is that possible?
“I haven't done any research into this, but the Netherlands Youth Institute made a nice infographic about it. The world has changed. For example, society has become more individualistic. In addition, adversity is a part of life, but we see it as a problem. And children learn that from an early age. Then when they face adversity, they are less able to deal with it.”
What was your first reaction back when you read that Van Ooijen said that too many young people rely on youth care?
Boendermaker reflects. “I don't think he's right or wrong. But I do think there should be more money in any case for professionals and what they can (re)learn on the job - there has been far too little room for this for far too long.”
That's where implementation - which you are researching - comes in.
“That's right. High-quality youth care is needed to ensure effectiveness. The youth care worker needs to provide help to a few families. There must be the opportunity for on-the-job learning, practice and feedback.”
What are the consequences for children and youth who need help?
“They are on long waiting lists. You also see that the professionals providing help do not have enough time for their patients. For example, in youth protection, a separate agency before 2015 that now falls under youth care, it was recently agreed, after actions, that the number of families for which a youth protection worker is responsible will be reduced from 24 or 25 to 12.”
How long are the waiting lists?
“It varies by municipality, but we're talking months.”
How do you view the future of youth care?
“Despite all the issues, I'm glad that the cuts that were planned have been pushed back, which we talked about earlier. I also think, as the Netherlands Youth Institute also mentions, that we should focus more on a society where children and young people can grow up with less stress. Society should be more relaxed and inclusive. It is important that all children and young people participate and feel at home.”
