Fewer and fewer children in closed youth care

The number of children who end up in closed youth care continues to fall. In the first half of this year, 355 young people were placed in the so-called Youth Care Plus. In the same period last year, this involved 426 young people, and the year before that 423. In the first six months of 2021, 546 young people went to a closed ward.

According to the association Youth Care Netherlands, the decrease is “in line with the sector's efforts to avoid closed youth care as much as possible”. Closed wards are to disappear by 2030. They will be replaced by small open treatment centers. Children will be placed in Youth Care Plus if they pose a serious risk to themselves or others. A judge must approve the placement.

The number of young people in closed youth care is falling in four of the five regions. The number remained the same in the care area Noord-West, which includes the provinces of Noord-Holland and Utrecht. In the province of Zuid-Holland, the number of young people admitted has almost halved in a few years.