Challenges in Dutch Youth- and Health Care

In the Netherlands, youth care has become a crucial topic that has garnered a great deal of attention in recent years. The system is designed to support children and young people facing difficult situations. Concerns surrounding youth care are vast, ranging from family issues to shortcomings in the assistance provided. This article will examine the challenges of youth care and the proposed solutions.

What is Youth Care?

Youth care is meant for children and teenagers up to 18 years old who require additional help and support. This may stem from family problems or behavioral and emotional challenges. The goal of youth care is clear: to ensure that children can grow up safe and healthy. This is achieved through various forms of assistance, such as counseling, therapy, and support to families.

The Current Situation

In recent years, many young people and families have reported that they did not receive the help they needed. This has led to growing concern among parents, teachers, and caregivers. Many young people feel unheard and unseen in their struggles. Youth care is under immense pressure due to a rising number of requests for assistance combined with a lack of resources.

A significant issue is that the youth care sector often faces stringent regulations and bureaucracy. This can lead to delays in providing help. When young people urgently need assistance, they often cannot afford to wait. This is extremely worrying, as it can further exacerbate the situation for the individual in need.

Personal Stories from Young People

There are numerous personal stories from young people who have faced the consequences of failing youth care systems. A sixteen-year-old boy recounted his experience in an interview: “I really needed help, but it took so long before I could talk to anyone. In that interim, I had no idea what to do.” Such stories underscore the urgent need for improvements and efficiency in the system.

Criticism of Current Policy

What’s been discussed so far reflects the information provided by official media and policymakers.

Politician Ralf Dekker has voiced his concerns regarding the current situation and the criticism of existing policies. During a meeting of his party, he claimed that care organizations benefit when the individuals they assist fail to make progress; when these people don’t improve, they lose no clients and the organizations fare better financially when the situation worsens. This statement shocked many, particularly in light of the personal stories that contradict current youth care policy.

Personal Stories from Adults

One poignant story involves a 50-year-old man who said the UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) refused to speak with him, showing blatant disinterest. Why? He had no clue, and it appeared that nobody cared. Determined to return to work after years of illness and seeking alternative remedies for his medical issues, he was ready to engage in a paid job again. This was perhaps his final chance to enlist professional help, such as having someone advocate on his behalf with the UWV. This would have been the first step towards regaining employment.

However, the manager from the private care company turned into a massive nightmare for him. Despite his smooth talk, he trapped the man in the company while doing the exact opposite of what was requested regarding care. Time and again, he insisted, “Oh no, you’re just confused.” As a care manager, he reported to the family doctor that this man was suffering from psychosis, likely notifying other agencies as well. What other plans did this care company have for him? Fortunately, he managed to escape at the last moment.

The Impact of Toxicity

Another story I know is about a young man with a difficult home situation and the challenges young men face during this life stage, particularly when intellectual disabilities are involved. He lived in a supported living environment. The first attempt went splendidly well, though it was an adjustment, as it is in any new situation. He still required therapy for his past psychological trauma, but that would follow, as the location was set to close and he had to move to a new place. In that new environment, I learned about someone targeted by a toxic personality.

Every step forward resulted in compensatory behaviors as if an entire team, without exception, could degrade themselves into ‘flying monkeys.’ If things are that ridiculous, you’re already in an advanced stage. Do you genuinely want to figure out who the toxic spirit is in that living group? Well, those individuals at the location are part of the plan.

The Struggle with Masculinity

A third story concerns a young man grappling with his masculinity. At 20 years old, he was trying to adapt to adult life like everyone else. Even with a disability, one is human and matures. Instead of sending a male outreach worker to talk to him about masculinity in an acceptable manner, an 18-year-old woman was dispatched who had just begun her first internship.

You can hardly get younger than that. Due to her cognitive egocentrism, she was oblivious to the impact her provocative and scantily clad outfit, with a busty appearance without a bra, had on him. When a chilly breeze passed, her nipples were noticeable. Although this may seem endearing, this young man became overstimulated, fell into psychosis, and lost a decade of his life to confusion and heavy medication.

Conclusion: A Call for Improvement

Is this the policy we want? I have always heard myself complain about everyone except the real culprits: the politicians!