There is a lot wrong in closed youth care. The Healthcare and Youth Inspectorate has also been sounding the alarm about this for years. But without results, according to the shocking testimonies of 51 young people who were placed in such an institution.
Very vulnerable boys and girls between the ages of twelve and eighteen who were in crisis due to psychiatric disorders and/or an unstable home situation were locked up, tied up, bullied, abused and raped by staff. These chilling stories are recorded in a report that one of the young people wrote after his stay. Under the guidance of a professor, he interviewed other young people who had been admitted – or better: locked up – at three locations of the so-called Very Intensive Short-term Observation and Stabilization (ZIKOS) in Harreveld and Zetten.
It deserves a lot of praise that 26-year-old Jason Bhugwandass, who ended up in crisis shelter at the age of seventeen, has mustered the strength to expose these abuses. He knows from his own experience what it feels like to end up after a traumatic childhood in a treatment environment that should offer peace, but is instead unsafe again. Even he was shocked by the stories of his fellow sufferers. In addition to the verbal and physical violence, their loneliness also affects them. On average, these teenagers were alone in their room for more than twenty hours, even going to the toilet was not allowed.
It is only logical that healthcare providers have imposed a stop on admissions, that municipalities will no longer refer young people to these departments for the time being and that the inspectorate will conduct its own investigation. Yet that is not immediately reassuring, because the alarm bells have been ringing for years. Will there really be better help for this target group?
More than two years ago, the House of Representatives adopted a motion asking the cabinet to stop closed youth care. Instead, the focus should be on “outpatient care, appropriate assistance, living close to home, stability, love and structure.” A movement has now been initiated towards open and small-scale facilities where young people stay for shorter periods. But it won't happen quickly.
According to Youth Care Netherlands, the problem lies in a lack of locations and trained staff. The institutions now employ people who have insufficient knowledge of the target group and do not know how to respond to its behavior. This is also evident from the accounts of the young people, who were accused of 'attention-seeking' and 'posturing'. Although not all staff misconduct – see the reported rapes – can be dismissed as 'powerlessness'.
It is reported that in other countries, such as Spain, it is possible to help young people in youth institutions. Not only do they receive better guidance there, but joint activities are also organized for them, so that they are not lonely in their room. The only reason why that wouldn't be possible in the Netherlands seems to be money.
And there is a problem there, because in addition to a reform agenda that should save one billion euros per year on youth care from 2027, an annual cutback of more than 500 million euros hangs over the market. This was agreed under Rutte IV and it is unclear where that money will come from. If these cuts are continued, it does not bode well for the plan to ban closed youth care for good.
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