New nationwide deal ensures stronger local support for families and youth
Families across the Netherlands will soon have easier access to local support for parenting, education, and care concerns. A new agreement between municipalities and the government aims to reduce disparities in youth assistance and prevent the need for specialist care by addressing issues earlier.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Agreement Name | Covenant Strong Local Teams |
| Signatories | Association of Netherlands Municipalities, Ministries of Health, Welfare and Sport, Education, Culture and Science, and 8 other organisations |
| Objective | Strengthen local teams to provide accessible, tailored support |
| Target Group | Young people and families |
| First Point of Contact | Local teams in neighborhoods or schools |
| Alignment with Legislation | Scope Bill (focus on early intervention and reducing specialist care) |
| Geographical Scope | Nationwide (Netherlands) |
Municipalities in the Netherlands are responsible for organizing and providing youth care services, ensuring that families receive timely and appropriate support. The central government collaborates with local authorities to create policies and frameworks that standardize and improve these services across the country.
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Agreements for strong local teams in every municipality: assistance close to families
By addressing problems earlier, young people can receive better help. Heavier, specialist youth care can also be prevented more often. That is why it is important for assistance to be available close to young people and their families. Local teams play a key role in this. They support residents, for example with questions about care and upbringing. Municipalities, the central government and other organisations have made new agreements to strengthen these local teams. With the covenant Strong Local Teams, they agree that the teams will be well-organised throughout the Netherlands.
The covenant was signed by the Association of Netherlands Municipalities, the ministries of Health, Welfare and Sport and Education, Culture and Science, the Association of Neighbourhood Teams, the Collaborating Professional Associations Youth, GGD GHOR Netherlands, ActiZ Youth, MIND, Ieder(in) and Social Work Netherlands.
Minister Sterk (Youth): “If you are worried or have concerns about your child, you want to be able to speak to someone quickly who can think along with you. This should be possible everywhere in the Netherlands in an easily accessible way. It is important that we do not only look at the child, but at the entire family. This way, young people receive better help, the pressure on additional assistance is reduced and youth care becomes more sustainable for the future.”
State Secretary Tielen (Education): “Young people grow and learn every day. For that, it is important that young people and their parents have people close by who know and see them. Strong local teams, at and around schools, can help them when things are not going well. This allows teachers to do what they are good at: teaching. And it allows students to do what matters: learning and developing.”
Local teams provide tailored assistance to families
The local team is the first point of contact for young people and families, for example with questions about parenting. The team takes a broad view of what is happening in the family and helps address underlying problems. Where necessary, they work with other domains, such as education and debt assistance. The teams are present in the neighbourhood or at schools.
Fewer differences between municipalities
There are currently still major differences between municipalities in the support provided to residents. With the covenant, municipalities, implementing organisations and the central government agree to align their assistance more closely. This should make it clearer for residents what they can expect. The signatories believe it is important that everyone can rely on accessible, coherent and tailored support, regardless of where someone lives.
Scope Bill
This approach aligns with the Scope Bill. With this, the cabinet wants to solve problems as close as possible to young people and families and only deploy specialist youth care when it is truly necessary. This way, young people receive appropriate assistance more quickly, municipalities gain more control and youth care becomes more sustainable for the future.
Click here for the covenant.