Abused Vlaardingen girl's condition improves; Foster parents deemed "loving" last year

The 10-year-old Vlaardingen girl hospitalized with critical injuries two weeks ago is no longer in “immediate danger of dying,” though her condition is still worrying, the William Schrikker Foundation, the foundation responsible for her guardianship, said on Tuesday. In December, the Child Protection Council described the girl’s foster parents, who are now in custody for attempted manslaughter and severe child abuse, as “loving and caring” in a lawsuit regarding the parental authority of the child’s biological mother.

According to the William Schrikker Foundation, the girl will still need “intensive medical care” in the coming period. It made no further statements about her medical situation to protect her privacy. “We ask anyone who is not directly involved in the well-being of this girl to leave her and those around her alone so that all attention can be focused on her recovery,” a foundation spokesperson said in a short statement on Tuesday.

The girl was taken to a hospital with serious injuries two weeks ago. Last week, the police arrested her 37-year-old foster parents for attempted manslaughter and severe abuse of the girl. Locals told AD that they raised concerns about the girl being abused with various authorities and that the girl herself asked for help multiple times.

In December, there was a court case about the parental authority of the girl’s biological mother. At the time, the Child Protection Council advised that the child should stay with the foster parents, describing them as “loving and caring” despite doubts about their suitability, NOS reports. “The Council sees that the girl is happy with the foster parents and that her behavior has developed well with them. Her academic development has also been very positive since she’s lived with the foster family,” the court ruling states.

The William Schrikker Foundation, which had placed the girl in the foster family and had more contact with them, was initially against letting the girl stay there. It advised transferring her to a family home, but changed its mind during the case after several conditions were drawn up for the foster parents to meet.

During the case, the Child Protection Council also said that the parents could “strengthen their pedagogical skills,” pointing out that they had not yet completed several courses to enhance those skills. The council also said “that the foster parents appear to be (or have been) somewhat overburdened by specific temporary circumstances within their family and all agreements surrounding this.”

Despite these concerns, the William Schrikker Foundation concluded that the foster parents “are of good will to remove the concerns described” and withdrew its request to have the child moved to a family home. “It is important that everyone takes a step forward. Due to the communication problems between the foster parents, the William Schrikker Foundation, and Enver Foster Care, that had not succeeded before.”

Last week, the Healthcare and Youth Inspectorate launched an investigation into the care the 10-year-old girl received. The Child Protection Council told NOS that what happened to the girl is “a very sad event,” but it can’t comment further due to the privacy of those involved. “We are evaluating the matter internally, also because of the Inspectorate’s investigation.”