Social services shake-up: Sociom exits West Maas and Waal to focus on Land van Cuijk
Residents of West Maas and Waal face changes in social services as Sociom ends its eight-year contract. The municipality assures continuity, but locals must prepare for a new provider starting January 2027.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Organization | Sociom |
| Municipality Affected | West Maas and Waal (Gelderland) |
| Contract End Date | January 1, 2027 |
| Services Provided | Youth work, volunteer support, caregiver aid, dementia initiatives, etc. |
| New Focus Area | Land van Cuijk and MooiMaasvallei (Noord-Brabant) |
| Population of New Focus | Nearly 93,000 residents |
| Transition Period | Until December 31, 2026 |
| Current Alderman | Rob Reuvers |
| Sociom Managing Director | Roland van der Heijden |
The municipality of West Maas and Waal is responsible for ensuring the continuity of social welfare services for its residents. It collaborates with organizations like Sociom to deliver essential support in health, prevention, and community well-being. Sociom, as a social work organization, operates under contractual agreements with municipalities to provide these services.
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Read the full translated article below
Sociom ceases operations in the municipality of West Maas and Waal
Sociom has decided to terminate its operations as a social work organization within the municipality of West Maas and Waal. The current contract expires on January 1, 2027. Until then, Sociom will continue to carry out its welfare work. The municipality is committed to ensuring that welfare services continue to be delivered effectively in the future.
Eight years of collaboration
In West Maas and Waal, Sociom has been responsible for various tasks in the areas of health, welfare, and prevention. These include youth work, the volunteer support point, caregiver support, activities within the Dementia-Friendly Municipality initiative, fall prevention, and refugee work.
“We look back on our collaboration with the municipality, partners, volunteers, and residents with a positive feeling. After eight years of involvement in the municipality, it is not an easy decision not to extend the contract, but this choice allows us to fully focus on our work area of Land van Cuijk and the MooiMaasvallei region,” said Roland van der Heijden, Managing Director of Sociom.
Focus on Land van Cuijk
The current multi-year contract expires at the end of this year. Sociom has used this moment to discuss how the organization wants to position itself in the future. With nearly 93,000 residents and many new developments in the social domain, the municipality of Land van Cuijk requires extra attention. Sociom has chosen to fully concentrate on this area.
West Maas and Waal working to ensure continuity of welfare services
The municipality of West Maas and Waal emphasizes the importance of continuing welfare services for its residents. “We look back positively on Sociom’s commitment in our municipality. Over the past years, they have supported many residents and established a strong social foundation. In the coming period, we will continue our efforts to ensure that welfare services in our municipality are maintained in a good way, so that residents can continue to rely on appropriate support,” said Alderman Rob Reuvers.
Careful transition
Sociom and the municipality are working together on a careful transition of welfare services. The organization will continue all its activities until December 31, 2026. Residents will be informed in a timely manner about follow-up steps, so they always have a point of contact for any questions.