Compensation for 22,500 people who experienced violence in youth care

The Violent Crime Compensation Fund has paid 5,000 euros each to approximately 22,500 people who experienced violence while in a youth care institution or foster family. The money is mainly intended to recognize their suffering and not to compensate for all the costs of the damage incurred. The fund paid out a total of 111 million euros, NOS reports.

The government created the compensation scheme after the De Winter committee concluded five years ago that three-quarters of kids and teenagers who ended up in youth care experienced some form of violence. On average, they faced violence for 7.5 years in their institution or foster home. The committee said a lack of government oversight allowed so much violence to occur. The government and the youth care sector apologized and set up this compensation scheme to acknowledge the victims’ suffering.

Almost all compensation recipients were in a closed youth care institution, youth mental healthcare, or a youth care boarding school. Some experienced violence in a foster family, and a few were in a shelter for unaccompanied minor asylum seekers.

The majority are between the ages of 24 and 44. About 100 people are between 84 and 94 years old. Another 100 are younger than 15. The number of men and women is almost equal. Most victims were in youth care between 2000 and 2019. A few cases date from the period 1950-1949.

The victims didn’t have to legally prove their case. The fund paid out compensation based on the information the victim provided and checking that the person was in youth care under the government's responsibility.

Micha de Winter, chairman of the investigation committee, has mixed feelings about the arrangement. “Money can help recognize the suffering, but for others, it feels more like a cover-up,” he told NOS. Previous compensation schemes have shown that it is a tricky thing to get right. “The advantage of this arrangement is that people did not have to provide much evidence. On the other hand, the amount is the same for everyone. Someone who experienced violence in youth care for one year received the same amount as someone who suffered for ten years.”

Outgoing Minister Weerwind for Legal Protection told NOS that the government also provided recognition in other ways. For example, focusing on contact between fellow suffers and sharing victims’ stories widely. Weerwind also said that the Cabinet is working to improve youth care. “We want to prevent children in youth care today from becoming tomorrow’s victims.”