All affected parents have completed the integral assessment

State Secretary Palmen of Recovery and Benefits: “In recent times, we have taken clear steps in the financial compensation for affected parents and their families. The integral assessment has been completed for all parents. For a large group of parents, the financial recovery is also complete. Parents and their families now have clarity on the compensation they will receive. Compensation for additional damages has also been simplified and improved. Now that we have reached the final phase of the recovery operation, it is important to look at what is still needed to help the last parents move beyond the injustice.”

Parents could register for childcare benefit recovery until the end of 2023. Approximately 69,000 people registered. With an initial check and then an integral assessment (IB), the Recovery Benefits Implementation Organization (UHT) determines if and to what extent a parent has been affected. Over 43,000 have been recognized as affected. They have since received all wrongfully reclaimed childcare benefits back. Additionally, they receive both material and immaterial compensation. For all affected parents, this is at least €30,000, but it can be higher. Their debts have also been addressed, they receive targeted support from municipalities, and free legal aid.

In the Integral Assessment, parents receive material and immaterial compensation as part of their financial compensation. However, these amounts are not sufficient for all parents to do justice to the damages they have suffered. Losses such as a job, a home, health, or cherished possessions are compensated as fairly and generously as possible through one of the available damage recovery routes. Compensation for their additional damages forms the final part of the financial compensation in the recovery operation for some affected parents. Parents can apply for additional compensation via the central registration portal. They can use the MijnHerstel route or the damage route of the Stichting Gelijkwaardig Herstel (SGH). Both routes are based on the same damage framework and are both concluded with a settlement agreement. In total, 3,348 affected parents have already received compensation for their proven additional damages. This is expected to help many parents complete their financial compensation process faster.

About 9,000 parents have registered with the Commission for Actual Damage (CWS) for handling compensation for additional damages. To assist these parents, they are personally approached to inform them about options to receive compensation faster. They can choose the route that suits them best: via SGH or MijnHerstel. In both cases, a parent receives a lump sum offer and efforts are made to conclude a settlement agreement. If the lump sum offer is not suitable, individual calculation is possible.

Currently, about 7,400 parents have an objection pending against their integral assessment (IB). Until now, the recovery operation has been organized so that parents deal with different departments for each of these issues. This is complicated for the parent and can mean that handling additional damages takes longer in practice. Some parents only want to sign the damage settlement agreement after their IB objection is resolved. To handle these objections faster, we engage with the parent to explore how best to address their objection. To offer parents an integral solution, the MijnHerstel route is currently working on the possibility to resolve the ongoing IB objection simultaneously with the treatment of additional damages. This should ensure that all objections are handled and completed this year.

For more and more parents, the financial compensation process is now complete. Besides financial compensation and support with debt resolution, many affected parents indicate they need more to move on with their lives. Parents, their children, recognized ex-benefit partners, and survivors can receive broad support from municipalities if they wish. The goal is to help parents and children resume their lives. To harmonize and improve broad support, additional agreements have been made with the VNG and administrative director. Parents make a plan of action together with the municipality. This ensures that parents have insight into what they need to move beyond the injustice and how the municipality can support them.