Dutch government proposes local youth support teams to improve access to care
A new bill aims to make youth care more accessible and affordable by requiring municipalities to set up local support teams. This shift ensures families receive the right help faster, reducing pressure on specialist youth care and empowering communities.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Bill Name | Bill on the Scope of the Youth Act |
| State Secretary | Tielen (Youth, Prevention and Sport) |
| Consultation Period | 13 February 2026 – 13 April 2026 |
| Mandatory Local Teams | Every municipality must establish a local youth support team |
| Target Group | Young people, parents, and families |
| Collaboration | Schools, debt assistance, home and youth doctors |
| Focus | Light assistance prioritized over intensive care where possible |
| Stakeholders Involved | Municipalities, professionals, young people, providers, IGJ, Children’s Ombudsman |
| Goal | Faster, more appropriate support; affordable and accessible youth care |
The Dutch central government, in collaboration with municipalities, shapes youth policy to ensure accessible and effective care for young people and families. This bill is part of broader reforms to improve the efficiency and affordability of youth services nationwide.
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Bill on Scope of Youth Act Open for Internet Consultation
When young people and parents need support, they should be able to access appropriate assistance quickly. To this end, municipalities will be required to organise a local team where they can easily seek help with their questions. The cabinet is therefore submitting the Bill on the Scope of the Youth Act for consultation. This proposal is part of a broad package of measures from the Youth Reform Agenda, developed in collaboration with the central government, municipalities, professionals, young people and providers.
State Secretary Tielen (Youth, Prevention and Sport): “At present, too many young people and families are turning to (professional) youth care, which means that young people do not always receive the right help and the system is under pressure. That is why I am working with municipalities and others on a cultural shift: less problematisation, organising support closer to families and deploying specialist youth care only when it is truly necessary and effective. This way, young people will receive the right support more quickly, municipalities will gain more control, and youth care will remain affordable and accessible.”
Necessary Measures
The Bill on the Scope of the Youth Act introduces a number of necessary measures to ensure that youth care is deployed as appropriately as possible: light when possible, intensive when necessary. For example, every municipality will be required to have a local team where residents can easily seek help. This team will be the first point of contact for young people and families—for instance, for questions about upbringing—and can provide assistance and support itself. This could be at school or in the neighbourhood. Assistance will be provided in group settings as much as possible, as this has proven to be a good fit for most requests for help. The local team will take a broad view of what is going on, in consultation with young people and parents. It will also encourage parents to address underlying problems.
In addition, cooperation between schools and local teams will be mandatory. The team will also work with other domains, such as debt assistance and home and youth doctors. The position of these teams in relation to other referrers will be strengthened when referring to youth care. Furthermore, it will be stipulated that light assistance takes precedence over intensive assistance.
Consultation
Through internet consultation, anyone can submit suggestions for improving bills. This increases the involvement of citizens, businesses and institutions in the development of legislation and regulations. The Bill on the Scope of the Youth Act will be open for consultation from next week until 13 April 2026. In addition, targeted implementation assessments will be carried out and advice will be sought from relevant parties, including the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ), the Children’s Ombudsman and the Regulatory Burden Review Board (ATR).