ANP
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NOS News•today, 22:27
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Closed youth care will be overhauled in the coming years. The current large institutions must make way for smaller-scale locations. Staff are also less likely to lock up young people or children in their room or in an isolation cell. In the short term, the “Do not lock up, unless principle” must be used.
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With these measures, State Secretary Van Ooijen of Public Health wants to improve the current closed youth care. He speaks of a “drastic reform” of this form of care.
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In 2030, no more young people should be placed in closed youth care, if it is up to Van Ooijen. Young people and children are often placed in these institutions because of a lack of alternatives and insufficient attention to their problems, he says. The Secretary of State believes this can be addressed.
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Danger
It’s been a long time strong criticism in closed youth care, officially called JeugdZorgPlus. The care is intended for children and young people who have such serious problems that they are a danger to themselves or their environment. They are sometimes suicidal, self-harm or very aggressive.
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Young people who come from closed youth care are often traumatized, according to a research of the Forgotten Child foundation. They often incur additional psychological complaints.
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Concern
So things have to change, says State Secretary Van Ooijen. “These drastic reforms are needed to provide the best, loving and humane care for young people.” There is a dilemma, he thinks. Sometimes these restrictions on freedom are really necessary, because a young person is very aggressive or wants to run away.
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Van Ooijen will now talk to experts by experience, municipalities, professionals and education to see how this problem can best be tackled.
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Jason Bhugwandass spent more than a year in closed youth care. And according to him, no child will benefit from that, he says in the video below:
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Report and conversation: ‘No child gets better from incarceration’
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